A prominent civil society organization, The Abia Patriots (TAP), has pushed back against recent remarks made by the newly elected chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, insisting that the administration of Governor Alex Otti is far from stagnant.
In a statement issued in Umuahia, the group took issue with the characterization of the state by Hon. Chijioke Chukwu, whom they referred to as the factional Chairman of the Abia APC. Hon. Chukwu had reportedly described Abia as being in a state of “motion without movement.”
The Secretary General of TAP, Mazi Adindu Madumere, countered that such a description is disconnected from the developmental reality on the ground. He accused the APC chieftain of ignoring visible projects and policies implemented by the current administration.
“These are not abstract concepts; they are tangible changes that residents interact with daily,” Mazi Madumere stated. He cited several initiatives as evidence of what he termed a high-velocity developmental trajectory.
Among the projects highlighted by the group to support their claim of progress are:
· The Abia Green Shuttle Service: Described as Nigeria’s first electric mass bus transport system, the group noted that it has modernized road mobility and reduced emissions.
· The Omenuko Bridge Reconstruction: The project is credited with ending decades of fatal crashes and opening up access for previously isolated farming communities.
· Road Infrastructure: The Patriots pointed to the construction of over 140 roads, including the Umuahia-Arochukwu road, the Arichukwu Amuvi road, and the Port Harcourt Road in Aba, as proof of improved connectivity.
· Social Policies: The administration’s introduction of tuition-free education and the consistent timely payment of workers’ salaries were also cited as key indicators of a functional and progressive system.
“These projects demonstrate Abia’s productive motion, which continues to translate to tangible movement, thereby contradicting the claim made,” Mazi Madumere added.
The civil society group suggested that the factional APC chairman’s comments stem from a lack of awareness rather than a factual assessment of the state’s condition. They urged him to redirect his focus toward unifying his party’s internal factions instead of making what they described as unfounded claims about the state’s governance.
“He may just need help with a new set of lenses in order to see better,” the Secretary General remarked, dismissing the opposition’s critique as myopic.
