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| * Ikpeazu |
In their pains, and afflictions, Abians are still singing:
I feel the rain, I feel the rain,
I feel the rain
open the windows of heaven,
let it rain, let it rain
Yes, Abians are going through a drought experience. They are groping in the dark.
All they can feel and hear is the crack of the whips of wicked taskmasters on their backside.
Despite their brokenness and despondency, they are bouyed by hopes, thus the song: I feel the rain....I feel the rain....Open the windows of heaven, ....let it rain....let it rain.
Ironically, they still sing for their chief tormentor - Governor Okezie Ikpeazu
At a political gathering in a rural community near the State capital, gaily dressed women were chanting mournfully:
'If you are following Ikpeazu
Do not be discouraged
His works in Abia State
Are wonderful.....'
Though these women, young and not so young were in attired in their Sunday best - rouge silk blouses and royal blue wrappers, their mien gave them away. Their faces were furrowed with frowns and they starred from
lifeless eyes that yet spoke volumes. On these particular day, some of these women would have been in their market stalls, for it was a market day. Others would have been in their farms, yes it is the farming season
- planting maize, pumpkin leaves, preparatory to planting cassava. what lie was told to lure them away from their worthy occupation to these parade of shame?
Here they are, singing soullessly and sitting mournfully, as they
wait hours for a State chief Executive whose outstanding notoriety of coming very late to events is widely celebrated across the State.
Four hours later, the lie told to lure the women to the gathering gave way - Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu is not coming to interact with the women as expected. But the leader of the LGA, an elected officer was on hand to hold forth. And yes, they were also promised tokens: they all took pains to register their attendance
It was obvious Gov. Ikpeazu would not show face in this community. The controversy is still fresh how his wife was given a message in another community by a distraught female teacher.The first lady
was told to pass a message to her husband to pay teachers their over six months salary arrears before they all die of starvation and related ailments. But rather than attract sympathy from her fellow woman, the poor teacher was visited with victimisation
One of Ikpeazu's aide, a certain Don Ubani was later to argue that it was unwise for the governor's wife to visit what he described as 'enemy' territory. Abia is divided into 'enemy' and 'friendly territory',
Abia South Senatorial district where Ikpeazu comes from is the friendly zone and the rest of Abia enemy zone.
Ironically, the intellectually challenged Ubani has not told Ikpeazu to change his campaign organisation from 'Okezuo Abia' to 'Okezuo Ngwa'
Never had Abia been more divided along ethnic lines. It may all be politics, But Gov Ikpeazu by inaction or indifference had not helped matters. He had taken the seat of government to Aba and his Ngwa kinsmen now bully their colleagues at will in the civil service and government offices. He cannot pretend to be ignorant.
If he was, he can not argue that he did not approve of Don Ubani's rantings. Lets not pretend about it, 'Okezuo Ngwa' defines the operating principle of the Ikpeazu soulless and clueless administration.
Again, another N10 billion has been received by Abia from the Paris Lond Club loan refund, but not a word has been heard about clearing the arrears of over seven months salary and pension arrears owed civil servants,
teachers and pensioners. Is it a case of wickedness or acquisitive greed?
The distraught workers and pensioners are dropping dead, one after the other. Would the blood of the innocent dead not cry out for justice? Is the labourer no more worthy of his wages? If other less economically viable States are paying their workers, Gov Ikpeazu owes Abians explaination why he is withholding
the due wages of workers.
And why the curfew on Umuahia? Is Gov. Ikpeazu no longer receiving his monthly security votes? If yes, what is he doing with it? And why is curfew imposed on the State capital from 7am, when the only means of
municipal transportation, the Keke NAPEP is forced off the streets.
At every opportunity, Ikpeazu and his propagandists would point to political distraction as the excuse why his administration is stagnating and wobbling. Yet, he receives monthly allocation from the Federal Allocation.
Gov Ikpeazu claims that he has been dragged to the courts by political opponents more than any other elected governor. But is he the one defending himself. Has he forgotten Anambra State where Chris Ngige was fought to
a standstill by Chris Uba while from another side Peter Obi of APGA dragged him from one court to the other, till he, Ngige was sent packing.
Even such simple tasks as refuse disposal has defeated Ikpeazu's administration. Maybe the governor has made efforts, but the challnge of refuse disposal Aba and Umuahia remains intractable. The two major metropolis is reeling in stench and choking from smoke of unsuccessful attempts to burn the refuse.
When the Governor announced plans to hold the local government elections, expectations were high that finally he would redeem himself, but at the end of the day, Abians were left in shock at the monumental fraud and charade that was called election.
One actvity Gov. Ikpeazu is shown passion and dedication to is organising rallies, road shows and renting crowds to showcase himself as the peoples governor. How can a lead subject his followers to such pain and trauma and expect he would be loved? Somebody must be deceiving Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, PhD, or it is a case of self delusion.
Regretfully, Ikpeazu would discover, much, much later that he has only disappointed himself, not Abians - Governors come and go, Abia lives on - When he crashes, as he would soon do, it would not be like the lizard nodding in self congratulation for surviving the fall from an iroko, it would be a case of humpity-dumpity falling off the wall, and not being able to be put together again, not even by all the kings men!
But Abians will rise again! I feel the rain...
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