By Tony Icheƙu



The conversations centring on the yet to scheduled Local Government Council elections in Abia State is already overheating the polity, the Transition Committee Chairman, Mayor of Ikwuano LG, Comrade Osinachi Nwaka on Sunday says he is indifferent to the hullabaloo the subject is generating 


Nwaka who spoke to dailyledger.com.ng while inspecting the progress of work on the Itunta-Elemaga bridge dismissed insinuations that he is lobbying to return to as an Executive Chairman of the Council once the whistle is blown for the  Local Government Council elections


Ongoing reconstruction of Itunta-Elemaga bridge

"As you can see, my preoccupation for now is how to deliver democracy dividends to our people who for long suffered utter neglect from then powers that be. Let's face it, if you have been living in Ikwuano LG before now, you can easily point out the difference. The new Abia our governor, Dr Alex Otti is talking about is not mere social media creation, it is Abia that is thriving and prospering. As the governor's eye in Ikwuano, it will be negligence of sorts to abandon delivery of good governance and development for politicking.


"My focus for now is laying the foundation for socio-economic development of Ikwuano LG. I did not come to this office because am good at politicking, so am concentrating on the mandate which brought me here", he proffered.


On going rehabilitation of Magistrate Court building at the LG HQs 

In his response to a question whether he would join the race for the Executive Chairman of the Council once the go ahead is given for the LG elections, the Mayor described the question as precipitous. "Is your question precipitous? I come from a system where you act according to the information before you. To discuss matters based on assumptions is not my style. Right now am thinking projects, not elections"


When he was asked about a meeting he convened and brought in the Special Adviser to the Governor on Politics, Hon Obioma Acho to anoint him as the governor's choice, he waved it aside as the concoctions from fertile imaginations.


Road leading into the Council under construction 

"The Governor's Special Adviser, Chosen was in Ikwuano at the behest of the governor. It was part of the political consultantions the governor held with stakeholders across the State, other members of the Executive visited other LGs, and Chomen was sent to Ikwuano. It was not my meeting", he affirmed 


Asked to comment on the declaration for the Executive Chairman seat by the Deputy Mayor, Chief Charles Ugboajah, Comrade Nwaka replied that it is a free world. "It's a free world, and we are practising democracy. I cannot stop anybody who wishes to run for any office from doing so"


Nwaka also spoke on the deplorable condition of roads in the LG, he especially appealed to people of Ariam-Usaka Community to be a little more patient as the sorry state of the Ariam-Usaka ring road whose contract was awarded by the past administration, but abandoned midway.


"I empathize with our people in Ariam-Usaka over the current terrible state of the Ariam-Usaka ring road, but government cannot do everything at once. As you you can see the reconstruction of the Itunta-Elemaga bridge is ongoing. The government has also recenycalled for  bid on the Amawom -Ihim-Amuro-Okporoenyi road and other roads, I know in a matter of time government will take care of that road. I bear their pains", he said


The Ikwuano Mayor further added that very soon he will launch several capital projects on going in the Council's headquarters