–Calls for transparent process
–Says APC will not die in Ebonyi

By Amuche Agbo, Abakaliki

Ebonyi State Governor, Engr. David Umahi has extolled the leadership of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC for their effort in ensuring the progress of the party in the State.

Governor Umahi who spoke on Friday during a meeting with stakeholders of the party at the Christian Ecumenical Centre, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State Capital, said the party leaders in the state have performed creditably well.

Governor Umahi called for transparent process of the congress, and stated that any place where malpractice is notified would be canceled.

He charged those who are contesting for positions of power to go back to their various wards and test their popularities as the exercise would be a direct primaries.

Umahi hinted that the ruling party (APC) would never die in Ebonyi state and charged the party’s faithfuls to rise and defend their party against senseless attack by opposition so as to move it forward.

Umahi attributed insecurity to the insensitivity of leaders, and decried the situation where leaders cared more about their personal interest above the welfare of the people they are supposed to serve .

According to him: “One of the key reasons why we have insecurity in Ebonyi State is that leaders are detached from their Communities.

“You have Commissioners that do not go home, you have Principal Officers of the House that do not go home, we had 1100 TAs and yet we couldn’t supervise our schools, we couldn’t supervise our Medical facilities, we couldn’t supervise our projects, so what we have decided to do is to convert such opportunities to empowerment and employment, we dissolved our Boards and Commissions because of non-performance, if the need be we would reconstitute”.

He announced the plan of his adminstration to employ at least 5000 persons both at the local government and state levels for the welfare of the citizenry.

The governor expressed hope that in the coming months, the All Progressives Congress,would witness many implosions from the opposition who would be trooping massively into the ruling party in the country.

“We are making progress, working very hard to see how we can get favour from the central government, APC will never go down in Ebonyi state.

” We are still going to get several governors that will join APC in the months ahead”

He maintained that construction of the first batch of the Abakaliki Ring road from 135 to Nwezenyi has commenced while the second tranche from Nwezenyi to 135 junction is expected to commence in the next thirty days.

The Governor advocated for the support of the Stakeholders to safeguard the workers and facilities of the contractors executing the project to ensure successful completion in record time.

He noted that his administration is committed to complete the construction of the Ebonyi International Airport latest by the first quarter of 2022 for timely commencement of flight operations.

He further announced that the Medical University of Science Uburu would commence academic activities latest by September this year.

Governor Umahi while insisting that the forthcoming congresses of the party in the state would be free and fair, called on the stakeholders to conduct themselves properly to ensure a successful outing.

“If we observe a transparent process, then, whoever comes onboard will respect the people.

“So, go to your ward and demonstrate your power, I want to assure us all of a transparent process, if we work together; if you don’t get this from the party, you will still benefit from the party.

The Governor further called for administrative restructuring of the nation to give states opportunity to develop according to their peculiarities.

Earlier in his remarks,the acting chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC in Ebonyi state, Chief Stanley Okoro Emegha called on party faithfuls to always obey and respect the decision of the party knowing fully, that in a democracy, the party is always supreme.

Chief Emegha reiterated his commitment to ensure the exercise recorded huge success in the State.

On his part, APC chieftain in the state, Architect Edward Nkwegu, said the congress was a welcome development, and thanked President Mohammadu Buhari and Governor Umahi for making the congress a reality.

Architect Nkwegu while reacting on the insinuation that the national leaders of the party would hijack the entire exercise in the state, said the party is always transparent with total observance of the party’s constitution at all levels and expressed optimism that all the congress would be done in line with the party’s constitution.

The meeting drew the presence of the former Governor of the state,Chief Martin Nwancho Elechi, Senator Sonni Ogbuoji among other party stalwarts