This state called Abia has turned another corner in it's journey to excellence. God's hand is in it.

No doubt there is a confluence of opposition against the incumbent governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, that may have slowed things up. I will give you a clue as to why I am confident that things are getting better and God is indeed helping us.

Ordinarily you will expect the state to roll out the drums, write cheques and buy hours of live TV airtime to celebrate yesterday and even weeks to yesterday, August 27th. Media house owners must have been disappointed that adverts didn't pour in from all over the world in celebration of Abia @ 25.

Indeed there were convincing proposals to the Governor to execute an elaborate lavish celebration. Even some private sector leaders in telecommunications were ready to host one aspect or the other.
But Governor Ikpeazu opted to listen to himself and a few others who made contrary presentations favoring low key marking of the anniversary.

The Governor simply looked at the bill presented to him for the expected lavish event and decided that he can use that money and pay some of the outstanding salaries or pay for additional kilometers of roads. Instead of a week long celebration with high profile parties and engagements he decided on making a broadcast and going for a thanksgiving service.

If the current Governor had decided to write cheques for the anniversary you won't still fault him too much because 25 is a milestone number in anniversaries. The next equally significant one will be 50.

Having gone through with the low key celebration that cost less than a typical wedding expenses at Aba, I think we also need to explain to workers of Abia State that their welfare was front and center in the decision of the Governor. In another post I will discuss the workforce and snippets of what is in store for them before the end of the year. Soon, genuine Abia workers will be the envy of their colleagues.

I guess most of you are happy that the governor made the right choice with regards to the low key anniversary. Naturally we should just clap for him and move on; but I can assure you that he will suffer backlash as a result. There are people who have been making money from Abia anniversaries since 1992 and the Governor has just denied them food.

Those dudes will likely pay bloggers and media people to help execute a fight back. It is something I have seen so many times that it no longer worries me as a person. Already, some folks are against the Governor because he did not give them political appointment, even when he has not made up to 20% of the appointments he will make in 8 years. When I read such people ranting against the governor I simply refuse to engage them and ultimately delete them as social media friends. I hate impatient fair whether folks and avoid them like plagues.

A betrayer/traitor is a betrayer/traitor, regardless of immediate stimulus.

A traditional prime minister told a media man that he joined the opposition against the Governor because he (Gov) stopped giving them monthly allowance of millions as elders that they used to receive. You can bet that bloggers won't take the man to task because he is now with "them". Even when previously some of those bloggers made unverified claims that the Governor was paying elders allowances. I remember that one hireling even created a post to abuse me when I demanded that his master, a governorship loser, publish details of the alleged payment so I can lead Abia youths on Aluta to collect the money back.

As God will have it, their new friend, the prime minister has unintentionally confirmed that Governor Ikpeazu is not paying any elder any nonsense money. In the same way, certain bloggers, who hitherto supported the Governor, but attacking him now should tell you that indeed Governor Ikpeazu has closed the sycophancy industry in Abia. Those who feel they are no longer getting whatever they were getting before are free to turn against the Governor so that people can identify them for who they are and what they are worth. I won't say anything to them or their pals.

Until citizens learn to stand by leaders when they do the right thing, it will remain political incorrectness to do the right thing in Nigeria. Only very few Nigerian leaders are ready to risk doing the right thing because they know that even the people they want to help will ultimately be manipulated against them.

Thankfully, Governor Okezie Ikpeazu understands, and is focused on only one politics: long and short term welfare of common folks. He still sees himself as one of the common folks of Abia while the rest of you are "government people". That's why he voluntarily chose "Common Governor" as his own "chieftaincy" title.

That is also why his happiest moments are those spent in the midst of common folks commissioning roads and other projects.


Have a great week!

http://www.metronaija.com/2016/08/abia-at-25-why-governor-ikpeazu-decided.html

cc: lalasticlala mynd44

Okay

When some people are shouting " i got the keys keys keys"

you're there sayin 'low key

thunder fire your yansh!