Okezie Ikpeazu, the governor of Abia state, has reaffirmed his loyalty and commitment to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
The statement was made in a bid to counter the rumour in many quarters on the purported plan of the Governor to defect to the All Progressive Congress (APC).
While commissioning the first phase of the newly constructed 5 kilometre Umuobiakwa-Owo Ahiafor road in Obingwa Local Government Area, on Thursday, Governor Ikpeazu made it clear that he will henceforth cease from addressing the issue of defection as he was not nursing such plan.
On the commissioned road project embarked upon by his administration, Ikpeazu said the road is a strategic economic road which connects to legendary Onicha Ngwa Hospital and also leads to Akwa Ibom State.
He said the benefiting communities would for the first time in its history find an access road to Aba and Umuahia.
The governor charged the people to protect the road by ensuring that no bonfire is set on the road and that the drainages are always clean.
He said commissioning of roads will continue until his last day in office, saying that he is in government to affect lives positively and thanked the State House of Assembly for the solid support given to him to perform.
Earlier while commissioning the road, the Special Guest and the Chairman, Peoples Democratic Party Board of Trustees (BoT), Senator Walid Jibrin, commended Governor Okezie Ikpeazu for his good leadership style which has made Abia State the most peaceful State in Nigeria, accommodating people from all tribes in the country.
Senator Jibrin expressed joy that having toured Aba and saw the infrastructural developments in the State, saying “what I saw is proof that Governor Ikpeazu is a progressive Governor”.
Shedding more insight on the commissioned road project, the State Commissioner for Works, Elder Bob Ogu described the road as a very important road disclosing that the first 5 kilometres done already is a proof of the Governor’s commitment to the people.
He informed that the road will last for a minimum of 25 years and urged the beneficiaries to protect the roads, which he said is a link road.
More so, earlier in his remarks during the commissioning ceremony, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt Hon. Chinedum Enyinnaya Orji thanked Governor Ikpeazu-led people’s oriented government for always remembering his people as the road will add economic and social values to the State, urging the people to continue to sustain their unflinching support to the governor to enable him execute more projects in the enhancement of the well being of the Abia populace.
The Speaker assured that the House will continue to support the Governor as the administration has recorded tremendous successes in all facets of governance.
Furthermore, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had after the Commissioning ceremony, hosted some members of the Board of Trustees of the PDP led by Senator Walid Jibrin, the Chairman of the Board.
Two Abians are members of the PDP BoT – former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Wabara, Secretary; and Rt. Hon Eric Acho Nwakanma.
Other members of the BOT that came to Abia include, Alhaji Dr. Saka Balogun from Oyo State, Rt Hon Margaret Icheen, former Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and Professor Stella Effah Atoe from Cross River State.
The BoT members took time to visit some completed projects, especially in Aba and Umuahia, and also took part in the commissioning of the Umuobiakwa – Owo Ahiafor – Onicha Ngwa Road.
The Governor later hosted them for lunch at his Country Home at Umuobiakwa where he presented them with copies of the compendium of his administration’s intervention in critical sectors of the Abia economy.
