The deputy governorship candidate of the Young Progressive Party in Abia State during the 2023 general election, Chief Chimaobi Anyaso has urged Governor Alex Otti to continue with his development strides in the state.
Anyaso, who spoke in his Igbere, Bende Local Government Area country home over the weekend, said the infrastructural revolution going on in the state under Governor Otti has made indigenes of Abia very proud of the state across Nigeria and beyond.
The businessman pointed out that his passion for developing the state has made the building of a free tuition nursery/primary school to support children from indigent families many years ago become more visible under the current administration in the state.
He commended the governor for the reconstruction of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Akara-Alayi-Abiriba road, adding that it has shortened travel time between his community and Umuahia.
He equally urged the governor to reconstruct the Igbere-Ozuitem-Bende road to connect the communities on that axis to Umuahia and Akwa Ibom State.
He said, “I feel very proud and feel good to tell anyone that I’m from Abia now, unlike before. At least we all witnessed what happened during the last administration.
“It was a period where Abians were ashamed to be called Abians. It was a period when we, the business people from Abia were mocked for saying that we are from Abia, but in less than two years under Governor Alex Otti, there has been a great turnaround, whereby we are now the ones saying that we are from Abia State because we are proud of what the administration of Otti is doing.
“You know I also contested for the governorship ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, when the PDP in their normal behavior refused to conduct a transparent primary election. I and my good friend Engr. Enyinnaya Nwafor left the party to join the Young Progressive Party and I became the 2023 deputy governorship candidate of the YPP.
“Our reason was that we can’t continue to watch while Abia State goes down the drain in the hands of bad leaders.
So that thing made us contest for tickets of the PDP, we say we will not blackout from continuing with our resolve to rescue Abia and make it great again.
“We also decided that we will not engage in any war of words with Dr Alex Otti who was running on the platform of the Labour Party because we discovered that he shares the same dreams as ours in other political parties.
“He was also very passionate to see Abia rise from where it was at that time. We also agreed that we would support any other candidate who wins the election if he shares the same vision with us.
“In the end, Dr. Alex Otti was declared the winner of the election despite all the attempts to manipulate the results.
“Today we are reaping the fruits of our labour. I am sure you will agree with me that this is the first time that Abians have had the opportunity to choose their leader.
“And we can see the difference between when the people choose their leaders and when a leader is imposed on the people. If I’m happy and you journalists are happy that means the rest of Abians are happy.
“I don’t see any reason why anybody should be unhappy, apart from those who are looking for finances of Ndi Abia to share and I’m aware that the current governor is not in the business of sharing the finances of Ndi Abia.
‘Those people who are looking for the resources of Ndi Abia to share may not be happy. But for those of us who are looking for the rise and development of Abia State, we are happy because we have seen that development in different areas of the state economy
“At least this is the first time I’m coming home in about twelve years and I used Uzuakoli-Akara-Alayi-Abiriba road to Igbere. We used to take a diversion from Ozuakoli to here before now, but for the first time from Umuahia to Igbere a journey that usually takes between one hour to one hour thirty minutes, now lasted about twenty minutes without any potholes until I got to my house. So I’m happy.
“Even if that’s the only thing that I will gain as an Igberean, it’s enough for me because we have not seen it before. The governor is doing well in different sectors and we are happy.
“I also believe that every other well-meaning Abian is also feeling the same way because anybody who is not feeling well about the good things that are happening in Abia is an evil person.
“I want him to continue what he’s doing and I begged him to reconstruct the road from my hometown, Igbere to Ozuitem. I want the governor to beam his torchlight of development more on our place. The road, when fixed will also help to reduce the pressure on the Uzuakoli-Akara-Alayi-Abiriba road
“My dear governor I am pleading on behalf of the Bende federal constituency. I have information on what is happening in Aba North and South federal constituency and the good thing about our governor is that he’s not focusing on one area; if you go to Ukwa you see his hand there, if you go to Arochukwu you will see his hand there. I want to use this Easter period to wish him well and tell him to continue the way he’s going.”
Punch.
