By CHARLES IWUOHA

A Coalition, Obidient Across Parties Alliance (OAPA) and Peter Obi Grassroots Movement (POGM), have Commended Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State for being the most Obidient Governor in the South-East zone.

The group said Abia State Obidients were convinced that the time has come to commend the commendable and condemn the condemnable.

In a joint statement signed by Chief Ndubueze Obiakwata, OAPA, and Mazi Chetachi Ike, Coordinator, POGM, stated that the long awaited God-given Labour Party (LP) Government under the incoming Dr Alex Chioma Otti shall assume office as the State Governor with the right perspective of history.

“Abia Obidients shall remain eternally grateful to Governor Ikpeazu for being the MOST OBIDIENT GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA. When other South East Governors were persecuting Obidients and making life hell for them, he gave us the conducive environment to operate.

“Beyond rhetoric, he supported various programs of Abia Obidients with logistics. Likewise, he supported substantially all campaign visits of our principal, the LP Presidential Candidate, Mr Peter Obi, to the state to the extent of incurring the wrath of his colleagues in the PDP,” the Obidient leaders stated.

According to the statement, “On the contrary, Senator Theodore Ahamefule Orji was the South East Campaign Coordinator of the PDP Presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar. He openly worked against the election of Mr. Peter Obi.”

They noted that history shall be very kind to Governor Ikpeazu for refusing to bow to pressure of exerting the full extent of his powers as the Chief Security Officer of the state on his political adversaries, like some other Governors in neighboring Ebonyi and Rivers States.

Continuing, the statement added that Ikpeazu was not toeing that line was not out of cowardice but rather out of his inner courage and conviction. “Just like President Goodluck Jonathan, Nigerians shall still celebrate Ikpeazu for his uncommon conscientiousness and patriotism,” they said.

The group further stated that during Senator Theodore Orji's eight years tenure as Abia State Governor, the state became a “Taliban State” due to the terrible state of insecurity that prevailed therein.

The statement reads in part: “In fact, Abia State then became a safe haven for kidnappers and had the uncomplimentary record of being the most insecure state in the South East, leading to the exodus of investors and dearth of economic activities.

“Ndi Abia are appalled that Senator T. A. Orji could find the voice to attack Governor Ikpeazu instead of hiding his head in shame because of the terrible harm he and his Ochendo Political Dynasty did to the state during his 24 years continual sojourn in the corridors of power since 1999.

“From being Chief of Staff to then Governor Orji Uzor Kalu, to being the State Governor and thereafter serving as Senator for eight years, he has been part of the rot in Abia State. If not for the Obidient movement that God used in liberating Abia State, T.A. Orji's Ochendo Dynasty intended to continue their emasculation and enslavement of the state by having Ikuku, Chinedum Orji, the enfant terrible of Abia State politics, moving over to Abuja as member of the House of Representatives.

“After eight years as Governor, Ochendo spent eight years as Senator with his son, Ikuku as Speaker of the Abia State House of Assembly. Even Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, in his own time, was never this mean and selfish.

“We are urging the Governor-elect, Alex Otti, to ensure the completion of some of Ikpeazu’s unfinished legacy projects, especially the Enyimba Economic City in the interest of the overall advancement of the state.”