The President-General of Ikwuano Development Union-Federated, IDU-F, Dr Charles A. Uzondu on Saturday described  the Open Letter to Abia State Governor Alex Otti accusing him of sidelining the LG in the distribution of political appointments as imaginary. 


"Contrarily however, while IDU-F believes that it's beneficial for Ikwuano indigenes to get relevant political appointments and opportunities; and our target, working in synergy with the Labour Party, is focused at massive socioeconomic development of our area that is anchored on improving the lives of our youths", Dr Uzondu affirmed in his rejoinder to the letter signed by himself and Amb.Emmanuel C. Ekomanna, the Assistant Secretary.


IDU-F is the parent body of all community development associations in the LG, and in their rejoinder, the officials maintained that "IDU-F has made cogent proposals which the Governor has referred to the Commissioners for Agriculture and Health respectively; and which is expected to empower and employ up to 50 of our youths in gainful areas".


They further added  that a strong 5-man team led by our House Member, Hon. Engr. Boniface Isienyi has  met with  Gov Otti on issues of appointments, his election campaign promises and critical investment benefits for Ikwuano.


Excerpts from the rejoinder:


 Re: Marginalization of Ikwuano and the Youths' Letter to Governor, Alex Otti.


The attention of Ikwuano Development Union-Federated (IDU-F) has been drawn to the letter written by the Concerned Citizens of Ikwuano to Governor HE Dr. Alex Otti. The letter cried out about the imaginary marginalization of Ikwuano indigenes in the Cabinet and government of Dr. Alex Otti.


Contrarily however, while IDU-F believes that it's beneficial for Ikwuano indigenes to get relevant political appointments and opportunities; and our target, working in synergy with the Labour Party, is focused at massive socioeconomic development of our area that is anchored on improving the lives of our youths.


It is imperative for all Ikwuano indigenes to understand that IDU-F has made cogent proposals which the Governor has referred to the Commissioners for Agriculture and Health respectively; and which is expected to empower and employ up to 50 of our youths in gainful areas. This translates to open opportunities for our people.


Those who wrote the so-called letter needs to be informed that a strong 5-man team led by our House Member, Hon. Engr. Boniface Isienyi has recently met with the Governor on issues of appointments, his election campaign promises and critical investment benefits for Ikwuano. That occasion provided a clean ground for IDU-F to submit the approved and adopted Ikwuano *Clans Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (ICEEDS)* to HE Dr. Alex Otti. This was also complemented with the submission of articulated documents on  *Special Agro-processing Components* that will tap heavily into our core advantage base - agriculture. This is also focused at streamlined development and creation of open route-parts for all.


As a result of this collective push by IDU-F, Dr. Alex Otti recalled during the IDU-F visit, without our promoting, all his campaign promises, and gave a reassurance of gradual fulfilment that will uplift our people.


In the health sector, IDU-F has also held a crucial meeting with the Commissioner for Health with a view to the renovation and maintenance of the Health Offices and other facilities that were deliberately neglected by the outgone PDP government - where coincidentally but unfortunately, the past House Committee Chairman on Health was our own son that is no more in power. 


We also recall that Hon. Boniface Isienyi gave a directive for  the collation and packaging of prospective candidates to be trained as Nurses in Ikwuano through the efforts of the Governor Alex Otti. We know that Ariam/Usaka has prepared and sent in their own list to our House Member for Ikwuano.


IDU-F, therefore, wish to remind all those who engage in frivolous petitions and those who are sponsored old selfish PDP media propagandists that Labour Party and Dr. Alex Otti do not and will never appoint over 100 ghost workers as the past PDP government did in Ikwuano alone.  This is transparency, and that is why HE Dr. Alex Otti has assured IDU-F that he will not allow party chairman, stakeholders and other political jobbers to sell employment opportunities that rightly belongs to our youths, mortgage communication facilities and other infrastructures that would have ordinarily provided employment and revenue for our youths and the Council as was practiced in the past.


IDU-F is therefore using this medium to inform all those who rendered Ikwuano "moribund" to get ready for the day of accountability and consequent judgement.


We emplore all to join hands with IDU-F to make our local government the dream of Abia State.




Dr. Charles A. Uzondu

[President-General]


Amb. Emmanuel C. Ekomanna

[Asst. Secretary]