By NewsCritic Reporters
A pro-democracy group, Advocates for Development & Good Governance (ADDG), has called out the former speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Chinedum Orji over his recent attack on foremost chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Abia Sir Dr Ako Obioma.
The organisation accused Rt Hon Chinedum Orji of being economical with the truth concerning many heinous roles he purposefully played during the administration of his father and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Theodore Ahamefula Orji, concurring that the former speaker superintends over illegal sale, and procurement of lands, and the allocations of same to close family members, political associates at the detriment of people of Abia state.
In a release signed and issued weekend in Umuahia by its Executive Director, Comrade Uche Christian Chukwu and the Head of Media & Publicity, Chijindu Emeruwa, buttressed that apart from recent revelations made by Sir Ako Obioma, the former speaker allegedly extorted many governorship aspirants that sought for the PDP ticket for Abia 2015 governorship seat election, with fake promises to prevail on the father and the then governor of the state, Theodore Orji to anoint any of them as successor.
“After he deliberately and notoriously extorted billions of naira from those PDP former governorship aspirants like Uche Ogah, Alex Otti, late Chief Friday Nwosu, Okey Emuchay and others, aimed at making anyone of them becoming Abia governor, the former speaker, alongside with Chief Charles Ogbonnaya, and other close political allies brought and imposed Dr Okezie Ikpeazu on party members and the Abia people at large, as the state governor in 2015, the group alleged.
“And this particular treacherous and unwholesome acts by these gang of political moneybags led by ex-speaker of Abia state House of Assembly, Mr Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji led to the exodus and defection of major PDP leaders and stakeholders to other political parties then. And nearly, the party would have lost the 2015 gubernatorial election conducted by INEC in Abia”, the organization claimed.
While earlier lauding the courage and forthrightness displayed by Sir Ako Obioma, the socio-political organization gave a pass mark to the prominent Abia party stalwart on his continuous contributions towards deepening the current democracy in Abia and Nigeria society at large.
The organisation noted that Sir Obioma is one of the finest and illustrious Abia citizens who had never hidden his passion in the actualization of modern Abia, wherein every citizens of the state would gain access and enjoy all necessity of lives, towards enhancing their welfare and development of the state.
According to the non-governmental organization, “Chief Ako Obioma had never hidden nor pretended on his passion and love for workable Abia, as he has continued to demonstrate by locating and ensuring his firm (Worldwide Construction Company) complements the collective efforts of real patriots from Abia state in achieving an economically and infrastructurally stable Abia.
“Again, Chief Ako Obioma demonstrated capacity as he had through his firm executed and handed over huge number of completed road Infrastructural projects, and other meaningful and peoples-oriented projects within his home state (Abia), devoid of corruption which most times is linked to some contractors. Presently, Worldwide Construction Company stands tall ahead of others, as it was given clean bill of health by civil society organisations and independent advocacy bodies in the country.
“At party level, there’s no gainsaying the facts that Chief Ako Obioma was one of the many founding members of the PDP in Abia state and the country. He nurtured the former ruling party and contributed millions of naira which saw the PDP grew in numerical strengths, and also enjoyed wide acceptability by majority of Abia people both at home and diaspora.
“So, no amount of character assassination and blackmail being unleashed on Chief Ako Obioma from the fifth columnists, sponsored by the former Abia first family will bury the truths.
The organisation called on Chinedum Orji to accept the gospel truth as said by Ako Obioma and tender unreserved apology to the people of Abia state within 48 hours for his misdemeanours, and roles in mortgaging the soul of the state before ascendency of the present Labour Party controlled government in the state.
“We equally warn Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji to allow Ako Obioma to be. He shouldn’t be crucified for telling Abians the truths on mismanagement and diversion of our common patrimony.
“And again, any threats, assault or harassment on the person of Ako Obioma, the former speaker should be held responsible and necessary steps shall be made to ensure protection of human dignity,” the organisation concluded.
