Bishop Silas Eke, a cleric from Abia State, has come out in support of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, saying that recent statements from stakeholders in Arochukwu and Ohafia Local Government Areas have vindicated the former Governor of Abia State.
According to Bishop Eke, Senator Kalu was not engaged in a political fight with Governor Alex Otti, but rather corrected the Governor’s statement during the flag-off of the Arochukwu-Ohafia Highway reconstruction. Senator Kalu had pointed out that the road was not abandoned by political leaders, as claimed by Governor Otti, but was actually constructed during the Abacha regime and facilitated by local leaders like Professor Chimere Ikeokwu, who was a board member of PTF, and Mr. Ochi Achinuvu, who was a top director.
Bishop Eke also highlighted the contributions of Senator Kalu and other individuals, including Hon. Uko Nkole, Mr. Uche Orji, who played a role in the road’s construction and rehabilitation.
The cleric criticized Governor Otti for trying to take credit for the road project and slammed public servants, while ignoring the efforts of others. He pointed to inconsistencies in the Governor’s statements and those of his Commissioner for Works, saying it showed a lack of transparency.
Bishop Eke concluded by saying that prominent stakeholders, including Chief Ndubuisi Eme, Rev Samson Okoro Elekwa, and others, have vindicated Senator Kalu’s position on the matter.
“Senator Orji Uzor Kalu is not having any political fight with Governor Alex Otti. I don’t think so. Senator Kalu simply corrected an impression that Governor Otti gave everyone that political leaders abandoned the road for years. Firstly, M. I. Okpara did not construct the road. It was done during the time of Abacha with Buhari as the Head of PTF. It was facilitated by our brothers, Prof. Chimere Ikeokwu, who was a board member of PTF, and Mr. Ochi Achinuvu who was a top servant then. Senator Kalu also revealed that he did palliative work on the road when he was a governor, and it is a known fact. He also said he played a serious part alongside the then Executive Secretary of the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, Mr. Uche Orji, Uko Nkole to have the road fixed. These men are alive; they all made efforts. So, it is wrong not to give them any form of credit, but instead Governor Otti slammed public servants, while trying to make himself look like the messiah.
“Hon. Uko Nkole who is from Abam Onyerubi and a former member of the House of Representatives has spoken about the road project and he was able to have it in the budget. There is also a revelation from his aides that the said road is about 27KM according to a document from the Federal Ministry of Works. So, invariably, the inconsistency from Governor Otti and his Commissioner for Works showed we are in trouble in Abia State. Chief Fred Eke Idika, a former Chairman of Ohafia Local Government Area, has spoken and set the record straight. Engr. Emmanuel Nwosu, the Ohafia Local Government Area APC Chairman, Chief Ndubuisi Eme, Rev Samson Okoro Elekwa and other prominent stakeholders have vindicated former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu,” he said.
