By Ogochukwu Isioma
Former Governor of Abia State and Senator-elect, Abia North Senatorial district, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has urged the people of Abia to vote for candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Saturday March 9 governorship and State House of Assembly elections, Igbere TV reports.
Igbere TV reports that Kalu made the call on Wednesday during a campaign rally of the APC candidate for Bende North State Constituency, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu.
Speaking in Item community hall, venue of the rally, Kalu urged the electorates to come out en masse to vote for the party’s guber candidate, Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, and all candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the State House of Assembly election.
The former governor said this was necessary for the people of the state to “enjoy real dividends of democracy.”
He said it was in the best interest of the people to vote APC candidates in the state, as this will attract meaningful developments they enjoyed during his time as governor including free education.
He insisted that Uche Ogah is the best candidate for the job, while assuring the people that he (Ogah) would run an “all inclusive government and people oriented projects.”
Kalu said, “I want you all to ensure you keep your voter cards safely; your voter card is your power. Vote APC so that we will continue to develop agriculture, youth empowerment, health and education.
“We will ensure that all projects that have direct bearing to your lives are executed. We (APC) value our people, we are not like those who owe salaries and build infrastructures on radio.
“When I was governor, salaries were paid on the 20th of every month. Today, workers are being owed, even my pension as former governor were withheld. Look at Abia State University, parents cannot afford the tuition fee. They (the present govt) keep increasing the fee but cannot point to one meaningful development in that school. Lecturers are being owed, workers are being laid off. I paid 13th month salary as governor, but that cannot be said of the present administration.
“This is why we must vote Dr. Uche Ogah as governor, as well as every other APC candidates in the State House of Assembly for us to enjoy meaningful developments in the state.”
Speaking further, Dr. Kalu thanked the people for their mandate and promised never to disappoint them.
Also speaking, the APC House of Representatives elect for Bende Federal Constituency, Barr. Benjamin Kalu, thanked the people for their mandate and charged them to vote in Uche Ogah to ensure rapid transformation of the state.
Kalu decried the poor state of infrastructure in the state, saying that Abia has not witnessed any meaningful development since Orji Uzor Kalu left office in 2007.
He berated the incumbent Governor Okezie Ikpeazu led-administration for failing to utilise the state’s resources to transform the state, and expressed confidence that Ogah as a businessman, would replicate his breakthrough in business in governance, if elected.
In his speech, the APC candidate for Bende North State Constituency, Chijioke Chukwu, called on the people of Abia to reject Ikpeazu as governor come March 9, adding that “Uche Ogah has come to the rescue.”
He said, “My people of Item, we must all reject liars and debtors in our state come March 9. Vote me into the State House of Assembly, and elect Uche Ogah as Governor to for meaningful development in our land.”
Credit: Igbere TV
