Ceekay Igara, Labour Party (LP) chairman in Abia State, has said that Alex Otti, its governorship candidate in the just concluded Governorship election and State’s governor-elect, has no hand in the freezing of Abia State Government’s accounts.
Igara stated this Tuesday, in Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State, during an interaction with some select journalists, including BusinessDay’s Correspondent.
According to him, Our Governor-elect is a sound person. He knows there’ll be propaganda, but the truth is that he has no hands in that and he has explained that, through his media aide and I’ve also escalated it all over the platforms that the issue concerning the freezing of Abia accounts has nothing to do with our Governor-elect.
“We all know he wouldn’t even want to do that. What’s the essence? He knows he’ll take over on May 29, 2023, all we need to do is to work together to understand what is our liabilities and opportunities and what’s left undone so that when we come in, we hit the ground running.
“We’re not distracted from such propaganda. It doesn’t change anything. We’re focused. If the Governor-elect does anything, he always takes responsibility, but whenever he tells you he didn’t do anything, take it for real”.
He also stated that the rumoured removal or suspension of Julius Abure, LP National Chairman, is nothing but a ruse, noting that those making such claims never followed due process.
“Let me tell you, if you want to suspend a National Chairman, there are laid down rules you must follow and those rules were not followed. Consequently, Abure remains our National Chairman.
“For instance, here in Abia, in Ukwa East and Bende Local Government Areas, some people have suspended some members without due process and I said it’s null and void because the process was wrong. We’re going to set a system of fairness. So, we are not taking the issue of our national chairman and the rumour seriously”, he stated.
Igara also said that the Labour Party has not decided whether it will participate in the proposed April 2023 Local Government election in Abia State, stressing that they are still consulting with party stakeholders.
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He affirmed that so many of their members are eager to contest, but observed that there’s no chance of a fair contest in an election that would be conducted by the current ruling party (PDP) in the State.
The Abia LP Chairman Ceekay appealed to Abians to pray for Alex Otti, the Governor-Elect, stressing that the work needed to be done to rescue the State is enormous and cannot be done without divine intervention.
He thanked the Abians and other residents for choosing the Labour Party, as the party that will rescue Abia from 24 years of maladministration, stressing that people should not expect miracles, but a gradual process of changing a wrong system.
“I want to start by thanking Abians for trusting us. It’s not easy to hand over your destiny to a group of people. I thank God who also made it possible for us to win. I’m also a lucky chairman that we were able to win during my time. Abia is in a state of disrepair. I keep telling our people not to expect miracles.
“The rot within the system is enormous, but we’ll do our best to meet every genuine expectation, by God’s grace. We need to clear the debris and lay a foundation before we start building. It’s no longer going to be business as usual.
“Abians should uphold us in their prayers. My candidate has promised Abians that he’ll pay the salary arrears before the end of the year. Once you push money into society it’ll improve the economy. So, we need everybody’s prayers, he said.
Igara stated that one thing that is sure in the incoming Otti administration is that it will not be a government of sharing money recklessly, stressing that the government will be a very small government where due process will be followed seriously.
“If you work you’ll be paid, that’ll be the system. There’s no doubt about the capability of our Governor-Elect. He has already started discussing with reputable organisations that will make life better for the people. So, we’re going to have an infrastructural revolution”, he stated.
Igara said that LP is ready to handle the influx of intended members, stressing that the party will set a standard that will ensure that everyone who is coming in would be coming with something to improve the party and not pull it down.
“As a matter of truth, almost every serious politician in Abia has reached out to us and I don’t need to mention names. I saw the influx and the State Working Committee ordered the stoppage of the issuance of membership cards and requested for the return of all the party registers to the State Secretariat.
