The All Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, has told the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to stop insulting the former Senate President and the Chairman, PDP Board of Trustees, BoT, Senator Adolphus Wabara, for commending Gov. Alex Otti over the award of Port Harcourt Road Aba.
Former Commissioner for Information, Okiyi Kalu, had raised eyebrows over the cost of the 6.8 kilometer road project awarded to Julius Berger to the tune of N30 billion.
But Wabara cautioned against unnecessary criticisms, arguing that Otti deserved commendation for his resolve to fix the road and “for his transparency to even disclose the contract sum”.
The former Senate President, in fact, said that Otti had already secured his second term ticket by undertaking the signature project which previous administrations were unable to tackle, adding also that N30 billion should not be considered too much for the project in view of the reputation of the contractor.
But the state chapter of the PDP through a statement by its Vice Chairman (North), and Acting Publicity Secretary, Elder Abraham Amah, fired back at the party’s BoT Chairman, accusing him of seeking favour with Gov. Otti.
PDP which accused Wabara of inability to deliver its polling unit during the election warned the former Senate President “to be mindful of his conducts and statements”.
Joining the fray, the immediate-past Chairman of APGA, Abia State and the incumbent National Vice Chairman of the party, South, Rev. Augustine Ehiemere, said “PDP should hide its face in shame.”
Ehiemere who spoke exclusively with Vanguard, said it was shameful that the PDP which held sway for over 20 years in the state could not fix the road despite all the resources that accrued to the state under its watch.
He said the party had no moral grounds to criticise the Governor who within four months of assumption of office, did what PDP could not do in 20 years.
” God has answered Abians by giving them a man to clean their tears. God forbid that PDP should return to power in this state after its decades of abysmal performance. PDP was a curse to Abia and must not be allowed to return”.
Ehiemere challenged PDP to disclose the cost of the flyover it built at Osisioma and compare it with the significance of the Port Harcourt Road before raising eyebrows over the cost.
“If Otti can have the mind to invest N30 billion to fix Port Harcourt Road and make it motorable again considering its economic importance, Abians have no quarrel with that. After all, why did PDP not fix that road with the $25 million World Bank fund? They should hide their face in shame!
” Senator Wabara spoke the bitter truth as an elder. Everything is not politics. At his age, he should be able to speak his mind and not talk like a sycophant. He knew that PDP failed, and that Abians are not happy with them.
” So, the attack on Senator Wabara is uncalled for. What he said was right. PDP should allow Otti to fix Abia, and stop distracting the Governor.
” The truth is: If Otti will complete the Port Harcourt Road; fix other important roads across the state; pay workers as he is doing; wipe pension arrears before December as he promised; pay pensioners full and not half like Okezie Ikpeazu ; provide security and make the hospitals work again; everybody will be happy with him”.
The APGA chieftain accused PDP of resorting to baseless criticism of the Labour Party-led administration in the state out of envy and frustration because Gov. Otti is already dwarfing the achievements to the former ruling party.
