Former Chairman of Ohafia Local Government Area, Comrade O’Brien Iroh, has described the Abia State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as “confused, frustrated, and filled with fake people,” alleging that the party is afraid of former Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Ude Oko Chukwu.
In a statement reacting to the PDP’s press release on Oko Chukwu’s resignation, Iroh accused the party’s State Working Committee (SWC) of launching “a vicious and baseless attack” on the former Deputy Governor rather than addressing the real issues that led to his exit.
“If his resignation was ‘not a loss’ as they claim, why is the SWC crying so bitterly? Even a day-old baby can see they are pained,” Iroh said.
He dismissed allegations that Oko Chukwu mismanaged the state’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), stressing that as Chairman of the IGR Council, the former Deputy Governor’s role was limited to policy formulation, which he said boosted the state’s monthly IGR from about ₦400 million to over ₦1 billion within a year.
“For eight years, he never nominated a revenue agent or handled revenue collection. Every Abian knows who mismanaged the state’s money, and it is certainly not Ude Oko Chukwu,” Iroh stated.
The ex-council boss also rejected claims that Oko Chukwu’s political career was sustained solely by the PDP’s “benevolence” over 20 years, arguing instead that the party repeatedly gave him tickets because he was a consistent vote-winner.
“From Nkporo/Ohafia LGA, his results often decided statewide victories for the PDP. In 2023, when they excluded him, the results spoke for themselves,” he noted.
On allegations of poor empowerment and development, Iroh maintained that Oko Chukwu’s records remain “unmatched,” adding that his governorship ambition was driven by a desire to change Abia’s trajectory before being blocked by party leaders “who wanted the state to remain stagnant.”
He described the resignation as a “necessary step” and insisted that the former Deputy Governor “remains deeply loved and trusted by the grassroots.”
“Well-meaning Abians are happy he has disentangled himself from a group more interested in crumbs from political masters than in moving Abia forward,” Iroh concluded.
