Cleric hails Sen Kalu’s performance as Governor of Abia

From Okey Sampson, Umuahia

A cleric, Rev Chuks Alonzie has hailed the performance of Senator Orji Uzor Kalu when he was Governor of Abia State, saying it was wrong to outrightly classify his administration among those that failed to perform in the state.

Speaking in Umuahia the state capital, Rev Alonzie said during the first tenure of Senator Kalu (1999 – 2003), many roads were built in Umuahia that are still standing till today.

Justifying his claim, Rev Alonzie said, “I am from Umuahia so that you don’t think I leave abroad. My Father is from Umuahia, my Mother is from Umuahia, all my grand parents are from Umuahia, no mixed blood, its pure Umuahia blood from the three major clans that made up Umuahia.

“So if you are not from Umuahia, you can’t be more Umuahia than myself. The Roads done by FFN Construction company during Dee Sam Mbakwe regime were major roads not streets.”

The cleric mentioned some of the roads to include, Okigwe, Niger, Enugu, Aba, Azikiwe Roads to mention but a few, including the Canals and drainages that helped check erosion in the capital city,

He noted that Kalu embarked on urban renewal and “constructed roads covering what is known as Over Rail; and new layout such roads, Ekwuruke, Obowo, Cameroon, Oboro, Oji River, Afara, Ogbulafor, Uwalaka, Orlu, Igbere Streets.”

Rev Alonzie stated that at the inception of Kalu’s administration, most of the roads mentioned were in sorry states, adding that Kalu gave Umuahia a facelift.

The cleric said it was not for nothing that Governor Alex Otti said he is adopting the template of Kalu in governing the state, stressing that what the former Governor did in Umuahia, he replicated in Aba.

“He (Kalu) did so many roads in Aba also and rural roads across the State. This made former President Olusegun Obasanjo to christen Kalu Action Governor during his first official visit to Abia State.

“No one Government can come out and want to make people believe they built the state, others didn’t do anything, this current propaganda is not sustainable and very soon they will be out of circulation.

“It is insulting the sensibilities of those who saw what the previous governments did and projecting them as having done nothing.

“What Kalu did then as Governor was widely celebrated even beyond Abia State. He was so much loved by Ndi Abia. He never used Bullet Proof Vehicle. His official car was a Coaster Bus, which no Governor used or is using.”

Using neighbouring Akwa Ibom state as a reference point, Alonzie said, “Governor Obong Victor Attah of Akwa Ibom handed over to Obong Godswill Akpabio, who handed over to Governor Udom Emmanuel and now is Pastor Eno. You can’t hear them discarding their previous governments as we see today in Abia.

“This approach is very divisive and not healthy for corporate leadership in the state. Abia is heavily divided by the dimension this present government have taken.

“Government is a continuum. Let’s build our state in love. Every Government has helped build the state in one way or the order.”

Alonzie said the Present Government in the state is contributing it’s quota just like the previous ones, which is also appreciated.