Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu has commissioned 5km of the first phase of the newly constructed Umuobiakwa- Owor Ahiafor-Onicha Ngwa Road constructed by his Administration.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony performed by the Board of Trustees Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Walid Jibrin, on Thursday, Governor Ikpeazu said that the road is one of the strate roads conceived before his formal inauguration in 2015 because of its strategic importance as it connects neighboring Akwa Ibom state.
The Governor who restated his resolve to keep working selflessly for Ndi Abia till the end of his tenure, urged the benefitting communities to protect the road as to promote its life span.
He thanked members of the state House of Assembly ably led by Chief Chinedum Orji for being supportive allies of his developmental agenda and for always identifying with his vision to move Abia forward.
Governor Ikpeazu said it is a tradition for his administration to construct roads with drainages to ensure their durability, adding that the second phase of the road will equally follow soon.
The state Chief Executive said that he has no reason to leave the Peoples Democratic Party as being speculated in some quarters, adding that his being in PDP was in line with the yearnings of his people.
“BOT Chairman, these are my people, these are my kinsmen; worst case scenario, I will come back and run for Councillor and it is in this Ward, and these people say they are in PDP.
“How can I be in another place and my people are in another place?
“I want to say to you, Chairman of BOT, that we are in PDP, for two reasons: one is because this is where our people are. The other reason is that there is nothing I’m looking for that PDP cannot offer”, he declared.
Continuing, the Governor said, “Let me say it, perhaps for the last time, that I’m in the PDP and will remain in PDP. I’m saying this publicly again because members of the BoT of our party are here
“I have good friends in other parties and I appreciate their desire to have me in their party, but the PDP is where I am and there I will remain”.
Earlier, the Board of Trustees Chairman of the PDP Senator Walid Jubrin noted that Abia remains the most peaceful and one of the states in Nigeria that has produced key stakeholders of the Nigerian polity, adding that the tour of Aba by the BOT members speaks volume of how progressive Dr Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration is.
He promised to partner the Abia state government in supplying leather for the smoother operations of the Enyimba Automated Shoe Company, adding that the BOT members are in tour of PDP controlled states to strengthen its unity as well as move the party forward.
In their respective speeches, the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Chief Chinedum Orji and the Member representing Obingwa East State Constituency, Mr Solomon Akpulonu described the road as strategic to the socioeconomic development of the area as it leads to the Onicha-Ngwa General Hospital and promised that the House of Assembly will continue to throw their weight behind the Governor in his quest to continue to move Abia State forward.
In his remarks, the state PDP Chairman, Chief Asiforo Okere said that Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has through multiple road projects justified his mandate and assured that the state will witness more democracy dividends before the end of his administration.
The Commissioner for Works, Dr Bob Ogu, while giving a run down of the project said that the second phase of the road will take off having completed the first phase of 5km with standard drainage system.
In their own remarks, the Chairman Obingwa LGA, Mr Ibe Nwoke and a stakeholder, Chief Isaac Ogbonna said that the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has been characterized with infrastructural revolution and prayed God to keep strengthening the Governor for more Services.
PDP BOT Secretary, Senator Adolphus Wabara and other BOT members, the Secretary to State Government (SSG), Mr Chris Ezem, the Commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu, the d?Deputy Chief of Staff, office of the Deputy Governor, Sir Don Ubani, Chief Acho Nwakanma, the DG BCA, Sir Anyaso Anyaso, the Chairman Abia State Traditional Rulers Council, Eze Joseph Nwabeke and a host of other top government functionaries and Traditional Rulers were present at the ceremony.