State Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Okey Ezeala, who stated this while reacting to the swearing- in of 27 new commissioners in the state, further described the new ministries as the new ministries as a ‘conduit pipe of siphoning Abia state funds’ ahead of 2023.
“The position of the APC in Abia state is that the new ministries are conduit pipes for siphoning Abia state funds ahead of 2023.Why do I say so? You don’t create new ministries towards the end of your tenure. To serve what purpose? It is a rule that you don’t change the goal post in the middle of the game, not to talk of the end of the game. In the spirit of fair play, you don’t change the goalpost in the middle of the game.
“Why duplicate the same function to three different ministries, allocate resources to them, post staff and hurriedly promote Directors and permanent secretaries to fill in the gap? This is the height of unpatriotism and deceit. The Governor ought to have even merged some ministries to save cost and pay salaries of workers he owes.
“If they say, is for good governance of the state, what good governance? This is almost the end of the administration. In the next one year, I can tell you that no governance will take place in Abia State because everybody including the Governor will be working towards the 2023 general elections. We all know this. The election for a new Governor will be held around February/March 2023 and swearing in on May 29.
“So, if the election for a new Governor will be held by February/March 2023, how can you now tell us that you want to bring the good governance you couldn’t deliver for 7 years now? Has Governor Ikpeazu suddenly woken up from his slumber? You can’t give good governance during the electioneering period. Political parties including the PDP are concluding their conventions and primary elections would be held later in 2022. So, where are the reasons for duplicating functions and splitting ministries into three?
“Another issue is the recycling of some persons who I choose to call retired politicians and old hawks in government. Some of these people have held the state captive in the past. Somebody like Chief Ukwu Rocks Emma was the chairman of Bende LGA in 1993; others were former commissioners 20 years ago. Is it that these politicians don’t have a second address? Must they live on the funds of the state? Don’t they have other means of livelihood? What is going on in Abia is unfortunate. I’m sure the vast majority of Abia people will reject this recycling in due time.”
The party vowed to take over power in 2023 to correct what it termed as the unpardonable mistake of the PDP in the state.
“We will certainly look into the books and see how far the fortunes of the state have been raped by the PDP.”
