Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the “Media Office” of the former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, wherein the former Governor made some puerile distortions in an attempt to create a needless controversy and confusion over the Arochukwu-Ohafia Road project flagged off for reconstruction by the Governor of Abia State, Dr. Alex Otti.
Two false claims contained in the said release were, one; that Senator Kalu as Governor resurfaced the road, and that through his effort as a Senator, former President Buhari ordered the release of funds and that the road was reconstructed, leaving only 14.5 kilometres.
We had contemplated not to dignify the misleading statement with a response, but on a second thought, we considered it appropriate to put the records straight by stating the following:
1.That Senator Kalu’s claims are false, baseless, unfounded and misleading. Unlike the initial 35 kilometre-length that was awarded and abandoned and which was meant to terminate mid-way into Arochukwu, the present road awarded and flagged off by Governor Otti is a 41.4 Kilometre road billed to terminate at the Abia boundary with Akwa Ibom.
2. Governor Otti will never reduce himself to dragging with anyone on who attracted what project or not, because the people are alive to see with their eyes and give their verdict, however, we consider it appalling and pedestrian for anyone to make such grievous claims that are capable of denying Abians what is rightfully theirs. Simply put that, if Senator Kalu had limited himself to the funny claims of resurfacing and building the road, and in fact all the roads in Abia and South East, we wouldn’t be bothered, but to attempt to invalidate the length of what has just been awarded with the full knowledge of the Federal Government, is not only a Self-serving mischief, but a dishonourable act unbecoming of a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
3. During former Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration, Senator Kalu had this to say about the Umuahia-Uzukoli-Abiriba-Ohafia road. “Despite not falling into my senatorial role, I had initially appropriated One billion naira as part of the 2021 capital project but the Federal Ministry of Works is yet to take action on it .
When I was Governor, I built the road and maintained it. Ever since I left, there has been no new investment on the road despite being one of the busiest roads in Abia. I am calling and appealing to the state Governor to ease off the stress on that road by taking urgent action on it”. From the above statement, it’s clear that Senator Kalu is more interested in self glorification, especially from where his impact does not exist, than working assiduously to leave a solid and visible imprimatur that would speak for him even in his absence.
4. Again, how could Senator Kalu have gotten the Senate to appropriate the sum of One Billion Naira for the reconstruction of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia road which he publicly admitted was a state road during Ikpeazu’s administration,?
What impact could One Billion naira have made on such a strategic road as recent as 2021 when he allegedly made the appropriation? Was it an audio appropriation that died off with its media razzmatazz?
Senator Kalu would definitely have taken credit as well for the construction of the Umuahia-Uzuakoli-Abiriba-Ohafia road if the Ikpeazu government had built the road.
5. The claim by Senator Kalu’s “Media Team” is misleading, and was obviously made to massage his ego and reduce the criticisms trailing him for abandoning major roads in Abia North and other parts of the state throughout his eight years tenure as Governor, while he continues to use questionable construction companies to build very funny and substandard roads attracted by him through the NDDC as a Senator.
6. Since Senator Kalu is interested in comparing capacity, let him tell us the Federal roads he built in Abia during his eight years tenure while we remind him that Governor Otti is speedily completing Port Harcourt Road using Julius Berger. He has awarded the Arochukwu-Ohafia road, he is already paying compensation to people whose properties were marked for demolition before commencing the reconstruction and dualization of the Owerrinta-Umuika road. Work is about to commence on the Abia Tower -Onuimo road and serious upgrade of the Aba-Owerri road has gradually commenced, and he will definely reconstruct more, because he doesn’t discriminate between state and federal roads as long as such roads are in Abia and used by Abia people. Senator Kalu’s claim of resurfacing the Arochukwu-Ohafia road is an audacious lie that requires no debate.
7. Does Senator Kalu not know that it’s both an act of provocation and disrespect to the people, to look them in the face and claim that a road that was abandoned for several years and which caused them pain and anguish during the period, was built in the media just because he wants to attach political relevance to himself at the expense of the people for his alleged role in getting the previous government to aaward the road without ensuring that the road was built. Are there things we do not know concerning the funds that may have been approved for the road and were not utilised?
8. What was the length of the road that was built, and why was the part left behind abandoned? If Senator Kalu got the Buhari government to award the road, what did he say or do when it was abandoned.
Again, if the road was built, leaving only 14.5 kilometres as claimed by Kalu, why does it take over two hours for a vehicle to manage to drive from Ohafia to Arochukwu for a journey that shouldn’t take more that 30 minutes?
9. If the road was built as claimed by Senator Kalu, why do many indigenes of Abia North, and other Abians, including Senator Kalu himself most times access Arochukwu and Ohafia from Akwa Ibom state? How come in the entire Abia state, it’s only Kalu that is making this kind of misleading claim about a road that people are suffering on a daily basis while plying it? Does Senator Kalu consider Abians too timid and inconsequential to the point that they could be lied to and against at all times?
10. It’s Important at this point to remind Senator Kalu that there comes a time in the life of a man, especially, an elder and public servant when his actions and utterances must be well measured, guided and truthful. Obi should cease to be a boy and try to become a man for the sake of his children and grandchildren who look up to him for advice and directions, and his kinsmen who are consistently worried by his contradictions and controversies.
Ferdinand Ekeoma
Special Adviser to the Governor
(Media and Publicity)
August 30, 2024.
