Your underperformance puting PDP on the rope, Charles Ogbonnaya tells Gov Ikpeazu * Alleges threat on his life * Says Abia’s foundation ‘ll shake if he makes further revelations * Urges PDP delegates to replicate Ebonyi 2015 revolution against Elechi

Your underperformance puting PDP on the rope, Charles Ogbonnaya tells Gov Ikpeazu

* Alleges threat on his life
* Says Abia’s foundation ‘ll shake if he makes further revelations
* Urges PDP delegates to replicate Ebonyi 2015 revolution against Elechi

Former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs Abia State Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, in this exclusive and explosive interview with Wawa News Global, opened the carn of warm in Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu-led Peoples Democratic Party, PDP administation in the state. He revealed what will happen to PDP in 2023 if Ikpeazu continues to sideline elders of the party in the scheme of things.

Steve Oko captured the explosive moment!

You were recently dissected on air by the state Government over your critisms against the Governor. How would you be responding to some of the issues raised against you?

The Commissioner for Information, Eze Chikamnayo came and castigated me on radio in order to defend his Master the Governor. He went on air to castigate me for nothing because I never insulted the Governor. What I raised were factual issues which nobody has contradicted. And I’m going to repeat those issues let them challenge me and prove me wrong.

When I was Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, I was paying salaries and I was paying pension of Council workers even while I was receiving N1 billion and sometimes N800 million as allocation to Local Government.

How come now that they are receiving N2 billion monthly that they are not paying salaries, they can’t pay pension? Why are they paying half salary? I challenge them to make public what the LGAs are receiving as monthly allocation. I have so many other things to ask them. Let them prove me wrong.

Trying to bring in the former Governor, Senator Theodore Orji who is my brother into it doesn’t make any sense because there is no basis for that. The Commissioner asking why I didn’t criticise the former Governor is baseless. How can you criticise somebody who was performing? If Gov. Ikpeazu is performing why would I criticise him? So, I haven’t come to criticise Ikpeazu simply because I love criticism. No!

What I’m saying is that for a party that wants to win election, it must have something on ground to tell people. It must have evidence of performance to campaign with!

Invariably you are saying that the PDP-led administation of Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia State has not performed?

I’m saying emphatically that this Government has not performed. They are going to find it difficult to win election in 2023. And I’m calling on the elders of the party to wade into what is happening in Abia. I have looked at the problem we have in PDP, and I know we are heading for a crash. That’s the plain truth. Anybody with a spiritual eye will see it.

Beginning from the faulty zoning arrangement of the party to unilateral nomination of somebody, everything is wrong with the process. The Governor himself hand-picked somebody and he is trying to foist him on the rest of us.

I’m here today to tell PDP delegates that the ball is in their court. Let’s replicate what happened in Ebonyi State in 2015. The the Gov. Martins Elechi wanted to impose his stooge on the people of Ebonyi State but the delegates said no. They revolted and voted the Deputy Governor, David Umahi who is now the Governor of that state. Go to Ebonyi today and see the wonders by Gov. Umahi – how he has transformed Ebonyi such that Ebonyi has long overtaken Abia that is its elder brother.

If they say I lied, can they publish all the monies that accrued to this Government in the past seven years? Let them tell us because we have the right to know.

Considering your position in this Government as two time Commissioner, and your acclaimed instrumentality in the emergence of the Governor in 2015, is it proper you are going public over your feelings about certain issues?

Some people are against god-fatherism in politics but as a people we believe in mentorship, and that is what some call god-fatherism. Let me go back to the 60s, late Dr Michael Okpara, the former Premier of Eastern region was never a politician but a medical doctor. But when he stood against the White men in Enugu after the infamous shooting of coal miners, the elders of Eastern Nigeria called him and registered him in the NCNC to contest elections. Did he mess up because he was brought by godfathers? Today everybody is celebrating his legendary achievements which is yet to be rivalled since then. Nobody even remembers those god-fathers that made him.

The same thing happened with De Sam Mbakwe when he challenged the abandoned property saga. He took the Government of Rivers State to court and the Igbo of Imo State decided to field him for the Governorship of Imo State. Did he not do well? Were there no god-fathers that brought him into politics? He was just a poor lawyer before God,-fathers brought him to the limelight.

So, I cannot take blames for Ikpeazu’s underperformance simply because I played key role in his coming on board. How can I take the blame?

But before going public have you tried to advise the Governor privately?

Yes. I have been talking to the Governor inside. But the only problem I have with him is that he appointed Advisers who he is advising, and not the ones that can advise him. So, nobody advises him. Even when you talk to him inside, Okezie doesn’t believe in elders. That is why he has been avoiding the elders. He doesn’t want to sit down with elders to discuss.

Abia PDP is not Ikpeazu’s property. We all have equal stake in it. I’m a co-founder of PDP in Abia. So, Ikpeazu cannot claim ownership of Abia PDP. If Senator T. A Orji had destroyed PDP when he was Governor how would Ikpeazu be Governor today? I beg him to please save PDP from total collapse in Abia. If we lose Abia in 2023 election, it will take us 20 years to recover it from the opposition.

What is your take on the alleged huge some of money set aside to induce delegates at the forthcoming PDP primaries?

Yes, I have also heard about it from Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe when he consulted with Umuahia North stakeholders. I don’t doubt that because that Local Government staff are not paid today is not without nothing. Unfortunately the Council Chairmen have refused to ask questions. They don’t know what accrues to their councils from Abuja every month as allocation.

But it’s a public knowledge as the Ministry of Finance publishes monthly allocations of all tiers of Government?

Well, why have Abians refused to ask questions. That is why we are pushing for the autonomy of Local Governments. Chikamnayo claimed that I was chased out of office as the Chairman of Umuahia North LGA but I laughed because that was not true. As Chairman in 2002 how was I responsible for payment of salaries when the Council was receiving zero allocation? If Government refused to release money with what would I pay salaries?

Some people, no doubt, will hail you as a brave party chieftain while others may accuse you of working for the opposition against the Government in power. So, how can you be properly situated?

Okezie is my friend and I still believe that he is my friend even though he doesn’t like criticism. We have been privately discussing the affairs of Government but because he decided not to listen, that is why I’m now talking publicly. There is nothing I want that Okezie does not give me. But I have said no to his gifts. I don’t want them again. I prefer to be enemy of Okezie and be loved by Abians, and save PDP. Somebody has to talk and that is why I am talking.

Are you still insisting on power shift to Abia North in 2023?

I have not changed my position. There was an agreement that power should shift to Abia North. We sat down and agreed.

You agreed with who ?

The elders of Ngwa land. I still have the video. In 2019, there was an agreement between Abia North and Abia South, and that meeting was held at Gregory University Uturu. They pleaded that Ikpeazu should be allowed to complete eight year tenure.

Can you remember some of those at the said meeting?

Yes, I remember former Senate President Senator Adolphus Wabara; the first Attorney General of the state, Chief Theo Nkire was also at the meeting. Chief Chuku Wachuku, among others also participated.

Was any documents signed at the meeting?

It was a gentleman agreement. The agreement was that Abia North held power for eight years, Abia Central the same thing, so, it would be wrong not to allow Abia South to complete its own eight years in office. And that was why Professor Greg Ibe dropped his governorship ambition in 2019. So, why are they not abiding by that agreement now?

But was the Governor aware of the said agreement?

He was the one that sent the Ngwa elders. Even before he became Governor in 2015, there was a discussion, and the discussion was that after eight years in Abia South, power should go back to Abia North. That was what we agreed.

If others are keeping quiet I won’t keep quiet. The truth has to be told. There was an agreement which has to be honoured. I’m not against those contesting from Ngwa land. Ordinary, if you ask me, I see only two people contesting from there. Senator Abaribe is contesting but he is from the same Local Government Area with the incumbent Governor. Nana Nwafor is contesting but he is from the same federal consituency with the incumbent Governor. It’s only Ncheta Omerekpe, and Profesor Ikonne that are contesting from Isiala Ngwa.

But as far as we are concerned, it is the turn of Abia North to produce the next Governor in 2023. I’m not saying that Governorship aspirants from Abia Central and Abia South are not qualified but the truth is that it’s the turn of Abia North in the spirit of equity and justice.

I also want to say it publicly that I have been having some threats. I’m not afraid of what will happen to me. If you kill me today you have not achieved anything because others will still tell the truth.

Have you reported to the security agencies?

I have asked my lawyer to write to the Commissioner of Police, and the Inspector General of Police. I’m not writing them because I’m afraid. No! I’m writing to alert them. Nobody can cage me.

I have segment what I want to say into three. In one of them I have A, B, and C. I have just opened C part of it. I’m still holding B, and A. Once I open my mouth in the second segment to say what is in it, it will shake the foundation of Abia State.

Steve Oko, Publisher/C.E.O, WaWa News Global. For more information on advert placement and news coverage, contact us on: 08038725600, or via email stevemanofgod2000@yahoo.com; wawanewsglobal@gmail.com Always read WaWa News Global - Your most dependable online news platform for the latest breaking news in Nigeria.

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