EDDIE ONUZURUIKE
The political analysis of Olusegun Adeniyi on Thursday, January 15, 2015, can deceive anybody who flowed trustingly with the article. The smoothness employed and the resultant lucidity served as a good spice that could hide faults in any culinary presentation.
In his general political analysis of events in Nigeria, Adeniyi should have started with Abia, being the first state alphabetically but he had a mission to hoodwink the reader and he later snarled and slammed Abia in his velvet approach. In truth, he did much to kill without dropping blood. In all, there was no doubt that Mr Adeniyi wanted to give Otti’s floundering campaign the much needed push.
Otti is certainly a self-serving dark horse in Abia politics. He is not tested so who will trust such an unknown who just came from a non political milieu but so rapacious to lead by all means, no wonder he grabbed the open space in APGA against two serious series of odds of fouling the senatorial zoning pattern and operating from a scraggy platform of not-so-known and second division APGA. Mr Adeniyi hinted that anyway but deviated when he denigrated on the person of the ebullient helm’s man of Abia. He wrongly alleged the absence of quality governance in Abia State.
Adeniyi refused blatantly to acknowledge Chief T. A. Orji’s efforts in many situations where he should have done so. The first subtle insult was where he wrote that Orji was smart to zone the governorship to Ukwa na Ngwa. This is a clear case of standing facts on their heads. Previous administrations have either by omission or commission refused to help the Abia South Senatorial Zone, peopled by Ukwa na Ngwa to the much coveted position. Orji came, insisted that there should be sense of equity to which he was opposed by many, even some never-do-wells from the beneficial area. T. A. Orji, based on his stand has demonstrated fairness and equity in his policies. Such bold steps and uprightness to correct years of anomaly should be praised and not passed off merely or described as being smart.
His analysis of Aba only showed how ignorant and unknowledgeable he is about Abia and Aba. There are much evidence that he has been reading The Sun Newspapers, or getting conspiratorial winks from its boss, a publication that has devoted 80% of all its efforts to tarnish Abia, Aba and all well-meaning efforts of Chief T. A. Orji.
If you take a look at the manifesto of Sir T Orji, you will see that Aba from inception has been on the priority list. The following projects will debunk the allegation of neglect. Azikiwe, Aba-Owerri, Geometric, Ohanku Roads are few examples of roads retouched. Aba Shopping Mall at Osisioma which Otti, while in Diamond Bank refused to guarantee financially is almost through.
All the tertiary schools in Aba have been upgraded with faculties and buildings. Many of its primary and secondary schools like Abayi Secondary School have been turned to model schools. Port Harcourt and Ikot Ekpene Roads, the federal roads that lead in and out of Aba are getting good attention from the state coffers. Right now, there is an ongoing deal with African Development Bank where the Federal Ministry of Finance provided sureties in order to raise the infrastructural level of Aba in the mode of urban renewal. The cost of running refuse disposal alone in Aba surpasses the total cost of doing same in the rest of Abia put together.
The truth is that Aba is suffering from many years of neglect by previous administrations and so cannot be redeemed overnight. Aba is highly overpopulated with many negligent inhabitants who dismantle and misuse service structures put there not to talk of its topography and soil texture that make it difficult and highly expensive to do roads. Talk about the defiance in building on, and blocking sewages amid degradation of green areas and parks.
Abia is not a one-town or one city-state like some other states. Statistics will abundantly show that our resources are shared among Umuahia, Aba, Ohafia and other towns. All the resources cannot be plunged into Aba alone at the expense of these others as far as governance is concerned. Come to think of it, that Aba is functional today is mostly for Ochendo’s efforts in saving Aba from the jaws of dare devil crime that shut banks and dispersed residents. Those who were bold to stay back paid ransoms on daily bases. Segun has forgotten that much is being expended to sustain the serenity and security so far achieved.
Adeniyi, I admit is a good writer but he failed in the profiling and assessment of events. If you take him seriously on what he called clear absence of quality governance, this could be clear blackmail considering the efforts, results and facts available. Could Adeniyis’s assessment be greater than that of Medical and Optometrist Association who gave an award of excellence based on giant steps in the health sector, Business Day Newspaper where Ochendo came up as best in education for two consecutive times, Security Watch, Farmers Association and National Peace Committee led by no other than Abba Gana that have respectively given their different awards. Could Olusegun have joined detractors in debasing the national honor which is based on merit and performance of which Ochendo made the list in their 2014 outing?
Olusegun should try doing some investigations instead of being an arm-chair critic. That could help the world to know the truth and put more credence to Adeniyi’s writings. More so, he owes Sir T A Orji a big apology for his ill assessment.