Emeka Ndem, Aba
There is currently tension in Aba, Abia State as recruited Protesters numbering more than 80 have refused to leave Aba North local government headquarters until they receive their payment
The coordinators of the ongoing protest against Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu for exposing the state government was overwhelmed by the crowd who kept on shouting, “All we are saying, give us our pay”
Our correspondent discovered that the protesters who were promised two thousand naira each received five hundred naira only while some were told their money will be sent to their unit coordinators
Dissatisfied with the payment, the protesters have refused to leave the local government headquarters, insisting their money must be completed before they leave .
Reports had it in the afternoon that the exposure made by Senator Kalu on the misgovernance of Gov Okezie Ikpeazu’s PDP led Government in Abia State and Zero Project attraction from Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe’s 16 years in Senate during the ward to ward campaign tour of the All Progressives Congress for last Saturday’s bye election, was the reason thugs Allegedly sponsored by Governor Ikpeazu and Abaribe on Monday disrupted commercial and private activities in Aba .
Senator Kalu had during the campaign for the Aba North and Aba South election, exposed the decay in the state which include the claiming of Federal Government Projects by the state Government and the non payment of 27 months salaries and gratuities among others. He also lambasted Abaribe for spending 16 years in the Senate and pocketing his Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) with nothing in his Constituency, adding that Abaribe couldn’t even build a road leading to his village in Umuekwensu.
Although, the APC came second in the highly contested by-election election, the election was characterised by thuggery, violence and rigging reportedly sponsored by the PDP.
Despite the fact that the PDP Candidate was declared the winner of the election, Governor Ikpeazu is said to have remained jittery over the exposure of the quantum of atrocities committed under his leadership, hence the need to sponsor a protest to discredit Senator Orji Uzor Kalu.
It would be recalled that the Abia State government had placed a ban on any form of protest in Abia. Senator Kalu had campaigned day and night and visited all the wards in Aba with massive welcome and jubilation from the citizens . In his visit in Ariaria international market , he also received a tumultuous welcome
