Fighting Poverty

                                          Mrs. Orji
                                         

With pervasive poverty, a novel idea to help the indigent of society work together through savings groups and a support programme is helping to get lives back on track in Abia State, writes Charles Ajunwa

“What we are doing in Abia is to make sure that people prosper. That is why I keep moving around the state mobilising people to engage in income generating activities in order to promote their standards of living,” said Mrs. Mercy Orji the First Lady of Abia State. “Since I realised this innate gift from my creator, I have never stopped giving especially to the less-privileged in the society. This is what God wants me to do, and I will continue to do it for the rest of my life.”
Like elsewhere, families still struggle to buy school supplies for their children in Abia State, but the wife of the governor, Mrs. Orji is taking to heart the challenge faced by the poor.

On a recent Saturday, Hannah-May Foundation, a charity managed by Orji distributed various empowerment items to the indigents and unemployed in the state.
A total of 850 beneficiaries drawn from the 17 local government areas of the state got various items of empowerment from the organisation at a ceremony that took place in Umuahia Township Stadium.
The items include sewing machines, generating sets, barbing kits, hair dryers, grinding machines, desktop computers, weaving machines and vulcanising machines.
Mrs. Orji who personally supervised the distribution of the various empowerment items, urged the beneficiaries to utilise them to break away from poverty

An elated Mrs. Orji told the beneficiaries who were singing and dancing that the items, if properly managed would make them become self-reliant.
She had also in the recent past distributed wheel chairs, artificial limbs, foodstuffs and even built and furnished homes for some indigent men and women who have nobody to support them. The philanthropic work embarked upon by her NGO, according to Mrs. Orji is in line with the policy thrust of Governor Theodore Orji’s government.

According to her, the multiplier effects of such philanthropic gestures will help many indigent people in the society to become self-reliant in addition to creating employments for others.
The Abia First Lady who is never tired of assisting the less-privileged had earlier distributed gift items like bags of rice, salt, beans, treated mosquito nets, cartons of beverages, toiletries, cosmetics, detergent among others to 34 less-privileged homes in the state. The beneficiaries include, Uzuakoli Motherless Babies Home, Ahieke Ndume, Agape Orphanage, Nigeria Prisons, Umuahia, and School of the Blind in Afara Umuahia.

Apart from giving out free gifts to the less-privileged, Mrs. Orji facilitated the construction of a skill acquisition centre in the state capital to enable the youths and women to be trained in various trades.
And now that centre is a beehive of activities and a place of fulfillment for many who are getting their lives back on the track.
“I believe the modern skill acquisition centre located at the New Umuahia Layout, is a dream come through. During my husband’s electioneering campaigns across the state, I promised the women and youths that I will build a befitting skill acquisition centre and today, I am glad that the whole idea has been realised. That beautiful dream has turned into fruition. I give God Almighty the glory for enabling me to realise this project, which is my pet project for the state. Of course, this was made possible through the support of my darling and caring husband, Governor Theodore A. Orji,” she said.

She added: “Honestly, the whole thing was influenced by my personal experience in life. I want to use this opportunity to specially thank my husband for always being there for me. I was able to realise this today through his active support both morally and financially. We have about 10 trades offered at the skill acquisition centre namely--Information Technology, fashion designing and interior decoration, shoe making, electrical, catering and home management, electronic and radio repairs, plumbing, wielding as well as GSM repairs.”
Orji said that Abia youths would continue to enjoy the services of the centre, long after she leaves office because “we have capable hands that run the centre after I must have left office. For example, the permanent secretary in Women Affairs and Social Development, which is affiliated to my office, is a no-nonsense woman. When I leave office the next person that will come in will not allow the project to collapse because the whole programme is targeted at the youths, men and women. 

“I will like to be remembered for good when I go out from here because of the good work I have done in Abia State. I want to leave a legacy so that I will be remembered just like my husband who is leaving behind very good legacy in the state.”

ABIA AT 22: OCHENDO IS WORKING

Emezue

By Ugochukwu Emezue

Since the creation of Abia State 22 years ago, several administrations both military and civilian, have come and gone without laying a solid foundation for the God’s Own State. The state remained backwards. There was no reasonable development on the ground in a state that was blessed with both human and material resources.

Umuahia, the capital city, remained a glorified village while Aba the supposed commercial nerve of the state which used to be the hub for commerce diminished greatly during these locust years characterized by high level of non-performance. All infrastructures in the state were not only comatose, what existed as roads had no good drainage system.  This was the state of things in Abia when Chief T.A. Orji came on board in 2007. Governor Orji ascended this exalted office with a clear mission and vision on how to turn things around for good. Governor Orji who is popularly called Ochendo (one who provides shelter or one who protects life) by his admirers quickly steered the ship of Abia on the right direction of prosperity and development.

During his first tenure, Governor Orji is came out with a blue print to transform the state, but his vision, plans and aspirations were badly affected due to over 20 court cases instituted by his opponents against his administration which lingered for about four years.

The overbearing nature of his predecessor even worsened matters as the entire state was completely in bondage.

As a man who has a divine mandate and the support of Abians, Governor Orji having won all the court cases against him confronted the challenges head on. As a man who has direct link with God, Governor Orji later liberated the state from the stranglehold of one man. With this fresh air of liberation, a new dawn was ushered in the Abia polity. The darkness vanished as the light sets in. As a fearless leader, Governor Orji boldly confronted all the challenges working against the wheel of progress in the state.
Having restored confidence, dignity and peace in the state with the stamping out of kidnapping which held the state down for many months, Governor Orji quickly went into action.

Unlike in the past when Abia cannot boast of a functional health care delivery system, what is on ground today remains a beauty to behold. Apart from the building of over 250 well equipped health care centres across the state, Governor Orji’s government went a step further by building a world class diagnostic centre in Aba and Umuahia. This diagnostic centre which was commissioned by President Goodluck Jonathan is equipped with state of the art equipment. All the health facilities provided by Governor Orji are accessible to all Abians without any discrimination. Governor Orji always said that he wanted everybody in the state to be healthy to enable them contribute their quota to the development of Abia.

Just few weeks ago, Ochendo recorded another mileage with the commissioning of a state of the art dialysis centre by the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu.

Beyond this, Amachara General Hospital Umuahia, now Abia State Specialist Hospital and Diagnostic centre, is being transformed as new structures comprising children hospital, emergency hall, doctors residence, 100-bed hospital are all there for everyone to see.

Just recently, Agbami Group, a big player in the oil industry in partnership with Abia State Government built an ultra-modern chest clinic which was commissioned by Governor Orji.
In no distant time, the state government will commence the building of a world class eye centre in Umuahia.

The transformation going on at Okeikpe and Arochukwu General Hospitals is a confirmation of Governor Orji’s desire to bring health to the door step of every Abian. 

Abians in Diaspora through the office of the First Lady, Lady Mercy Odochi Orji, has continued to support the present administration as foreign medical missions continue to visit the state to give free medical treatments to the people of the state.

Most states of the federation have no befitting secretariat for their workers.  But the story in Abia is quite different as Governor Orji building a modern secretariat for the worker at Ogurube Layout in Umuahia while the old federal secretariat had been renovated.

Within the same vicinity, a new complex for the Ministry of Local Government and chieftaincy Affairs is springing up and will soon be completed.

The foundation stone of this edifice was laid by the Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku who visited most of these legacy projects during the National Media Tour by the Ministry of Information.
As a seasoned technocrat who spent a better part of his life in the Civil Service and rising to the position of a Permanent Secretary, Governor Orji shortly after assuming office promoted all civil servants to the next grade level.

As a product of the Judiciary, the amiable governor of Abia State, Governor Orji has embarked on a total renovation and building of new courts in the state.  Passing through Ikot Ekpene road in Umuahia, one cannot but notice the sudden turn-around of what used to be the old Magistrate and High Courts in the state capital which are now wearing a new look.

Beside the renovated High Court, is the new imposing Umuahia High Court which has six court halls and offices for judicial workers.  The old Appeal Court in Umuahia is also wearing a new look.

Also, in Aba the state government has renovated the old Magistrate Court and a new High Court is also being constructed.  Just recently the newly constructed and well equipped Ministry of Justice Complex was commissioned by the state Governor amidst pomp and celebration.

Presently, the state government is erecting a state of the art International Conference Centre sited at the New Umuahia which when completed will be hosting local and international business Summits and entertainment shows.

Today, Abia Government House to say the least is an eye sore as the old edifices are inherited from the colonial masters.  It is against this background that Governor Orji’s administration is on the verge of giving Abians a befitting Government House.

Still on the legacy projects, the New ASEPA building has been commissioned, with workers of the environment agency, discharging their duties in a dignifying and serene environment. The building was commissioned by the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.

The Speaker was on hand also to commission the New Industrial Market, which is a landmark achievement of Chief T.A. Orji’s administration.  During the media tour embarked upon by the Minister of Information, Maku, he commended Governor Orji on this project which he said is affecting the common people positively.

For any first time visitor to Abia State especially Umuahia the state capital, the sight of a ramshackle market at the heart of the city is quite disheartening. This situation will soon be a thing of the past as this market will be relocated to its new site at Ubani Ibeku which is also becoming a sprawling town with the springing up of a housing estate near the market. The Ubani Ibeku Market is expected to be commissioned in no distant time.

One area Abia State Government has also excelled is in the construction of housing estates, one of which is the recently commissioned Amaokwe Housing Estate Adelabu Street, Umuahia.
The relocation of mechanics, spare part dealers and artisans to Ohiya Mechanic Village has no doubt helped in giving Umuahia a face lift.

The Legislature is not left out in the transformation agenda of Chief T.A. Orji’s administration, as the House of Assembly has been renovated, even as a new office complex is being built for the legislators. Already the Deputy Speaker’s Lodge has been commissioned.

In the area of education, Chief T.A. Orji is constructing an E-Library which Abia students are expected to use to enhance their studies. Apart from the remodeling of most schools in the state, this administration has built and equipped over 450 schools in the past two years.

The Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State which is the clearest voice East of the Niger can now boast of a world class edifice that will be commissioned in a matter of weeks.

Presently, work is in progress with regards to the construction of Shoprite Mall, few months after the Governor laid the foundation stone in Umuahia. Other Legacy Projects that have been built and commissioned by the Governor include the Planning Commission Complex and the Skill Acquisition Centre which is the brainchild of Abia State’s First Lady.

To ensure that there is constant power supply in Umuahia and its environs, Abia State Government evacuated power from the Ohiya Power Station owned by the Federal Government to many parts of the Abia State and other neighbouring states.

With the legacy projects being commissioned periodically, Chief T.A. Orji has laid a solid foundation for this generation and indeed future generations of Abians.

There is no doubt that Abians wherever they are today will stand tall and definitely be proud of Chief T.A. Orji as Gods Own State celebrates its 22 years of existence.

Indeed, Ochendo is not relenting as months ahead will be witnessing unprecedented achievements. Already, the governor’s arm chair critics have nothing again to say or write against the administration of Ochendo Global. His good works have permanently shut the mouths of his veracious critics.
God bless Abia State at 22!


Emezue, is the Chief Press Secretary to Governor T.A. Orji of Abia State.

Chikamnayo: Governor Orji Has an Excellent Mid-term Record

                                            Chikamnayo

The immediate past Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State, Mr. Eze Chikamnayo, in this interview with journalists in Lagos, gives interesting insights into the achievements of Governor Theodore Orji in the second year of his second term in office. Charles Ajunwa captures the discussion. Excerpts:

Governor Theodore Orji recently marked the second year of his second term in office. What is your assessment of the governor’s midterm performance?

Governor Orji is a man that is blessed with Midas touch, everything he touches turns to gold and all his life, by the grace of God, he has been able to achieve what many people hitherto thought was impossible. Before he became governor in 2007, Abia State had wallowed in what I will call an era of stagnation. Abia State is over 20 years old but you find out that it is under the era of Chief T.A Orji that the foundation of the state is being laid afresh. And you ask yourself why it is so. May be the people who were there before will answer that question, but suffice it to say that Governor Orji is the one that is currently laying fresh foundations for Abia State. He has taken Abia so far that if one is asked to chronicle his achievements, it is a bit difficult to do that in just one interview.
For us to understand the great quantum leap that Orji has made in terms of Abia’s development, we have to look at the four major flanks of his administration: the first is security, the second is empowerment, the third is infrastructural revolution, and the fourth is value re- orientation. One may say there are other sectors in the government but in the way and creative manner that the governor has handled Abia, you will see that all the different sectors are covered by these four major flanks.

Can you give some explanation on what the governor has done in these four areas?
You cannot make adequate critical analysis without making some form of comparative analysis. That is to say that if you look at what the security situation in Abia was before and what it is after the advent of Orji’s government. All of us in Nigeria knew when Abia was always in the news for the wrong reasons of kidnapping and other criminalities. It was an era where investment and infrastructural development were impossible because no contractor will like to go to any site when even his own life is not guaranteed. Today, the situation has changed contractors now fall over each other trying to work for Abia State.

There is security in Aba, Umuahia and other parts of Abia State. As you all know, Abia has become a destination of choice for major national events. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN), and other national organisations are all coming to Abia to hold their conferences and retreats. This is a testimonial to the success of Orji’s commitment and policy in the area of security. From being a pariah state, Abia is now a destination of choice.

The governor did not resort to self-help or creation of one group or the other but he showed faith in the legally constituted security agencies by equipping them adequately with the materials that they need to work. Just some few months ago, Orji was voted the Best Governor in Security in Nigeria by independent analysts all the way from Ghana. Now, remember that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria emphasised that it is the responsibility of every government to provide security and welfare for the citizens. Security comes first.

Very close to security is the issue of peaceful coexistence of different individuals and groups in the state. Remember that before Orji came on board, Abia was polarised up till 2007. Because of the bad politics of his predecessor, prominent Abians went on exile and constituted themselves into different groups to fight the injustice of that time.
When the Abba Gana committee came to Umuahia, it voted Orji as the Ambassador of Peace in Nigeria. Few weeks ago, the Speaker of House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal, was in Abia to commission some projects.

But in the area of infrastructure, some allege that the governor has abandoned Aba?
Governor Orji has not abandoned Aba. In Aba, in the last two years Orji has commissioned 22 roads, 18 of them given out at the same time, including Milverton Avenue, where these transporters normally take off to Lagos. Azikiwe Avenue which is the major tributary in the road networks in Aba, the Geometric Road is a brand new road delivered by Governor Orji for the purpose of catalysing industrial growth.

You know the Geometric Power Plant embarked upon by the former Minister of Power, Prof Barth Nnaji, is unique and the first of its kind in the whole of Nigeria. In fact, a few weeks from now the first independent power plant will start in Nigeria at Aba, and with that Abia will witness a complete turn-around in power because what the Geometric Power Plant promises is uninterruptible power supply. Even with the type of technology that they are applying, there will be two phases of light simultaneously on stream such that if one is going out, the other one in a thermostatic manner will come on stream.

In Aba also, our governor has facilitated the kind of development we call the Clean and Green. Formerly between Osisioma Park and Alaoji, if you have any reason to go to Port Harcourt from Aba, you will be confronted with the sight of waste dumps, that ugly scenario persisted for eight years before Governor Orji came on board. Today, those garbage have been cleared, in its place we have a beautiful arcade surrounding the landscape, to the glory of God and to the joy of Abia residents.

Governor Orji has been able to reopen the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation depot in Osisioma. For the past 15 years or so that depot was completely closed down as a result of vandalism of pipelines connecting the depot to Port Harcourt. The presence of the NNPC depot has facilitated all kinds of opportunities and trickledown effect that has positively affected the economy of that area.
Similarly, Ukwu Mango at Ariaria which nobody had ever imagined that would one day become accessible because of the challenge posed by flood and refuse dumping, the governor has been able to bring sanity to the place. He has also opened up other interior roads in Ariaria. Governor Orji constructed the overhead bridge around the Abia Polytechnic which is the first of its kind in the whole of Abia State.
If you talk about the second year of the second term of Governor Orji, he has given Aba a new lease of life.

What would you say of the governor’s attention to Umuahia?
Umuahia is not just a location in Abia, it is a common heritage among Abia people, just like most state capitals in Nigeria which are symbolic locations that showcase the common heritage of the people of those states. It may interest you to know that for the past 20 years of its creation, Abia had no single outstanding building that was constructed in Umuahia by all the previous administrations. I had challenged some journalists to prove me wrong on this, I have said it before that if any journalist should provide a photograph of a structure built by the previous government after eight years in the saddle I would resign my position as a commissioner. Between 1999 and 2007, the basic administrative structures needed for the running of government were absent in Umuahia.

Today, Umuahia is completely renewed. There is a wonderful edifice, first of its kind, standing to the glory of God. There is now a fresh foundation in Abia. The former governor ran Abia in a rented apartment, it is Governor Orji that is now building a secretariat and other symbolic architectures in the state capital.

When you go to the old Ikot Ekpene Road, you see the type of change that has taken place in the judiciary quarters that is in addition to the new buildings at the Ministry of Justice, the police quarters and the new Industrial Market. Before Governor Orji came on board, what we had was a timber shed somewhere around the World Bank and the presence of that timber shed in that narrow location made it impossible for the residents to enjoy a fresh lease of life. It was also impossible for any expansion because the place was already congested. But today we now have a new industrial market, the biggest of its kind around, well planned with fire service station, good toilet facilities, halls, security offices and hospitals.

Governor Orji did that market in 12 months and it was commissioned by Tambuwal when he came to Umuahia. We also have the New Urban Market as well as the Mechanic Village. Similarly, when you talk of housing estates, you are talking about a government that has within two years done a total of seven housing estates, namely, the Amoba Housing Estate, the Amokwe Housing Estate, among others.

In every sector, you see a lot of developments. Of course, the central thing in these developments is the construction of a brand new International Conference Centre. What the present government inherited was the Michael Okpara Auditorium which is just like a community hall. But the International Conference Centre in Abia today can only be compared to the International Conference Centre Abuja, even though that of Abia has more meeting halls and facilities. In Umuahia, we have commissioned more than 36 roads at the last count.

Governor Orji has done exceedingly well, he has become known as the legacy governor that is building legacy projects and running a legacy government. He is brazing the trail on how to strike a balance between scarce resources and prudent management for the general good of the people.

Unity is Our Greatest Achievement

                                           Orji

                                       

After the ceremonies to mark the

22nd anniversary of Abia State

on Tuesday, Governor Theodore

Orji addressed journalists in

Umuahia. He spoke on political

developments in the state

officially identified as God’s Own

State. Charles Ajunwa brings

excerpts of the interview

On the journey so far.

We have come a very long way and the road has not been easy. Twenty

two years in the metamorphosis of

Abia State is not an easy thing. It is

like a child. When a child is born you

have to protect the child. If you don’t

protect the child, he or she will fall

and such fall may lead to deformation. So a child must

be protected until such a stage when that child will

walk. That has been the problem with Abia. Although,

people have protected Abia, they have not adequately

protected Abia. The damages done to Abia during the

teething period is what I am correcting now.

In terms of projects, if the projects that I am doing

now were done before now, we could have gone very

far. For instance, if I had the Government House in

place, if I had the secretariat in place and the diagnostics

centre, hospitals and health centres in place,

I would have been doing other things now. But we

are just starting afresh, doing those structures that

were supposed to be on ground before my coming on

board.

On political philosophy.

Moreover, there was no philosophy guiding Abia, a

state that has its name in the Bible, which is christened

God’s Own State, where every person that is from it

or lives in it should behave like God’s own child. But

before now the state was channeled not towards God

but to somewhere else and that affected our psych

and what was being done in Abia. People were so

intimidated that they did not have confidence in God

that He can do things for them; instead, they had

confidence in human being, which is an abomination

before God. So our people were in bondage.

On Abia’s liberation.

But we have been able to liberate Abia from bondage.

People can now aspire to any height without

relying on any person, except God. Now people can

worship God in spirit and in truth. In every ceremony

we do, we dedicate Abia to God. That is a major

achievement. These are the corrections that we have

been trying to make, which should have been made

all along. We are making the corrections that had

dragged us back. But we are in a haste to catch up; we

are in a hurry.

On Abia’s greatest achievement since its creation

22 years ago.

The greatest achievements that I consider about

Abia are those things that I am telling you right now

that were not there. Before now Abia was highly

polarised, brothers were not seeing eye to eye, sisters

were not seeing eye to eye, people belonged to different

political inclinations, not because of what they

believed in but because of what was on ground and

what they saw in Abia. Abia was at loggerheads with

the federal government. But today the difference is

clear, we have one united Abia. Those people that

were away singing different tunes have come back

into the fold. You saw it today in the hall; those people

that detested coming to Abia for ceremonies were all

here. To unite the people is the first thing. And then

the menace that came to us called kidnapping, which

is still ravaging many states. Our state was the first

state where it came and people thought that we were

finished. Some tagged the state a pariah state that

would not contain kidnapping. But today they have

seen our strength, that this cankerworm that was in

Abia has gone to other states and that Abia was able

to eliminate kidnapping, which is now a challenge to

other states. If Abia was able to eliminate it then they

too can emulate us.

On the fight against insecurity.

When it came early here, we hadn’t the facility. But

we mustered all the resources and God was there

for us. The federal government was also there for us

and we were able to come to where we are now. It is,

indeed, a major achievement; people can now go into

their houses and sleep with their two eyes closed.

When there is no security, nothing works; there won’t

be any progress at all. When we had our security

challenges here, all the contractors ran away, nothing

was moving. As was expected, people were afraid to

work, they were afraid to invest. But we worked hard

to overcome the ugly situation and that is why you see

the progress that we have today.

On spreading series of effects of security.

Since kidnapping was eliminated, major conferences

have held in Abia and more are coming. If

Abia was not secured they would not come. But now

they come here and do their conferences. Even some

bishops in Nigeria held their conference here under a

conducive atmosphere after which they went back to

their bases with happiness.

So these are some of the major achievements that

people tend to disregard. People would normally say,

“He has constructed all the roads in the world,” but

if you construct all the roads and there is no security,

who will walk on the roads? If you build all the houses

and edifices around but there is no security for people

to stay there, it makes no meaning. So that security

challenge which we overcame is a very major achievement,

and not only overcoming the situation, but to

sustain it is another problem. But we are on top of it.

We have overcome it and we are sustaining it.

On whether he has arrived.

Yes, I have seen and I am conquering. That is what I

can say because the problems of Abia are many. What

I will do is to conquer those that I can conquer, somebody

else will conquer some. But what I am saying is

that if others who came before me conquered a lot of

them it would have been easier but I am conquering

and conquering those that were meant for those who

were before me but failed to conquer.

On his success tips.

That is the handwork of God; God is the one that

makes the selection. God is the one that lifts you to

any height that He wants. As a human being if you

think that you can skyrocket yourself to any height

without God being behind you, you are wasting time.

God is the only one that brings you up. Most of you

know very well how I was brought up. I underwent

tutelage, I underwent refinement and I was tested by

both man and God. I know what I am saying; I was

prepared for this job that is why I am conquering. If

I weren’t prepared for this job, I would have left this

seat long time ago. A governor who has 23 court cases

after the election and I won all of them, a governor

that up till now has had the worst criticism yet, I am

excelling, a governor that has overcome many manmade

obstacles. Because I’m destined to be here that is

why I am here, nothing else.

On his relationship with people of the state.

Moreover, the strength I have is my people. You

saw them today. It did not start today, it started many

years back because I have touched a lot of people via

the positions that I have held. God has been merciful

to me to give me the position where I came in contact

with people where I should help people and I utilised

it to help the people. When I was the Administrative

Secretary of the former NECON, there is no political

officeholder here who didn’t pass through me, including

the former governor of this state. And none of

them can say that Ochendo gave him conditions on

what he should do to get what he wanted and that was

when I laid my foundation. Similarly, when I was the

Chief of Staff here, the same thing, our predecessor

hardly was on seat, he was going to America and other

places. I was there, I didn’t go to any place. I can count

on my fingers how many times that I have traveled

outside when I was the Chief of Staff. I was always

there in the office from morning till midnight, at

times till 2 am the next day. Was I sleeping there? No.

I was attending to the people. There were people who

would stay there till 2 am to see me and before they

go I would try to see that I sort out their problems, if I

can’t sort it out, I will ameliorate their problems. That

was when this job started. So if anybody tells you that

he makes this or that person a governor, he is wasting

time because it is God that made it possible.

If you bring out a hardened criminal and told Abia

people to vote for the person, will they vote for him?

Not at all. I was even incarcerated when I won my

election, you know that very well. It is historical,

how many people have done that in Nigeria. I was

incarcerated yet Abia people voted massively for me

and someone will come out to claim that he made this

person a governor, is it possible?

On whether recently registered parties – All

Progressives Congress and Peoples Democratic

Movement – pose a threat to the ruling Peoples

Democratic Party in the state

I am interested in PDP, that is my party. I am PDP

and PDP is me, any other party is secondary to the

PDP. I am working for PDP to succeed and PDP will

succeed. Any person is free to form his or her own

party. We have seen parties come and go, parties that

were formed for personal interest, parties that were

based on personal gains and those that were formed

not having Nigeria in mind. So when they say, this

party is formed and that party is formed, let them

continue forming their parties, the point is that I am in

the PDP and that is where my interest is.

On the nomination of more women in the

incoming cabinet.

You and I know that women are important. If they

are not important you will not marry. They are important

to us, to the family and everywhere they are and

when you come close to them, you will realise that

women are very, very reliable. When you give them a

job they do it very, very well.

They realise first and foremost that they are women

and by God’s injunction that they are supposed to be

under the men. They do that job the way they feel to

satisfy the person that brought them on board. They

are reliable people, very reliable and all the women

that I have given assignments have not disappointed

me and that is why I brought them in and also to give

them the sense of belonging.

You should also realise that when you take the

sample of the people who come out to vote during

elections three quarter of the voters at the polling

booths are women. They are ready to stay under the

sun and rain in order to vote for the person they want.

That was what they did for me here during my first

and second tenure.

I am not saying that men don’t do that, men also do

that but the majority of the people that come out on

the voting day are women. And you know in Nigeria

we have more women than the men so if you want

to succeed politically and otherwise you must carry

them along. If they decide to carry out a campaign

of calumny against you, you are finished. But if they

decide to be for you they can go to any length.

This is the summary of why I carry them along;

they are hard-working, they are trustworthy, and they

constitute the state’s political force.