By NewsCritic Reporters
In a bid to reduce the hardship and suffering caused by the increase in pump price of fuel in the state, Prof Greg Ibe, the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, gubernatorial candidate has flagged off operation fill your bus tank for commercial bus drivers in Aba.
The event which was greeted with jubilation and excitement in Aba especially among the township bus drivers marked a new dawn in the transport sector of Abia State and to the beneficiaries, who expressed their profound gratitude to Prof Ibe for his generosity in helping the poor and the needy in our midst.
Speaking with journalists, the APGA zonal chairman Aba, Chief Lucky Erondu said the aim of this exercise is to help the poor bus drivers to cushion the effect of the rise in fuel price. He said “this is to show you how the leadership of APGA will be, if you go to Anambra where APGA is ruling, you will see it with your own eyes that APGA has always been a revolutionary party that is always setting the pace in development and projects implementation, adding that the beneficiaries should also reduce transport fare for their passengers, so that the goodwill of Prof Ibe will get to everyone.”
Continuing, he stressed that this exercise is not politically motivated because according to him Prof Ibe has been helping the needy and less privileged members of the society.
He cited the Prof Ibe Free Medical and surgery outreach which has seen in the first phase visiting all the 17 LGAs, and will continue the second phase. This is in addition to the scholarship programmes which have benefitted many people including the indigent youths who cannot afford to go to the University.
Also during the Covid-19 pandemic, Prof Ibe reportedly supplied many trailers of rice and noodles to Abians as palliatives. So, we cannot say that he is just doing this now because he wants to be governor, ” he observed.
Some of the beneficiaries, Mrs Patience Jim, expressed her heart felt joy to Prof Ibe for making this easy by giving them fuel. According to Mrs. Jim “We thank Prof Ibe for giving us fuel today, and we want him to win so that we can experience change in Abia State, especially in Aba because we have suffered here.”
Another beneficiary Mr Ifeanyi Okonkwo said that he prayed to God for APGA because “we seriously need change in Abia. I will say to Prof Ibe that he should continue doing what he’s doing in the interest of humanity.
Mr Onyema Oji and Chief Uzoagu said that APPA will make Abia State to look like Anambra, pointing out that Prof Ibe has a good heart and can be likened to Prof Soludo and Mr. Peter Obi of Anambra State.
He expressed his joy over Prof Ibe humanitarian activities saying “we are no longer voting parties, but individuals like Peter Obi and Prof Greg for Governor…
Concluding, the Chairman Gregnite Mr. Chimaobi Emeruwa said they are here today for commercial mini bus drivers to give them fuel, so that the high cost of fuel will not affect commuters badly.
“We are here for this shuttle drivers, we are helping to give them 10 litres of fuel each, you see our road is not good, they are spending a lot of money to repair their vehecles, so we decided to help them. We can’t give them money, we decided to give them fuel so they can use to get money to help themselves and also repair their vehicles. I know my principal has good plans for Abians and I pray that God will give him life and abundant health to fulfill all his heart desires for Ndi Abia”.
