Abia State Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu has said that he would not engage in war of words with any of his predecessors, especially Senator Theodore Orji. Rather, he said his administration would continue to carry the cross of governance till his last day in office.
The Governor who stated this through his Chief Press Secretary, Onyebuchi Ememanka, said it became pertinent following a statement credited to former Governor of Abia, Senator Theodore Orji concerning workers’ salaries. News Echo reports that Mr Ifeanyi Umere, an aide to former Governor of Abia, Senator Theodore Orji recently cautioned Governor Okezie Ikpeazu’s administration against dragging the past administration into salary issues.
The former Governor’s aid who said that Senator Orji cleared all salaries of core civil servants before leaving office in May 29, 2015, maintained that staff of parastatals were owed at between two and four months of salaries when he handed over to Ikpeazu.
Umere therefore warned the outgoing government against dragging former government of Theodore Orji into his ongoing war with Abia workers. Umere’s utterances did not go down well with the outgoing administration, with fears that the two camps may start exposing themselves in the public.
Feelers from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) this week, indicated that strained relationship between the two men dated back to the May 2022 PDP guber primaries where the incumbent Governor allegedly hijacked party structure to impose his preferred candidate, Prof Uche Ikonne who later died in January.
Apart from this, the attempted impeachment of Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Chinedum Orji recently was alleged to have been sponsored by a former aide to Governor Ikpeazu, Mr Uchenna Erondu Jr. The failed impeachment plot was also alleged to have been carried out in a government facility, near the State government House, Umuahia.
However, Uchenna Erondu Jr who is now the House of Assembly member-elect for Obingwa West constituency recently held a press briefing where he denied sponsoring the failed coup in the Abia parliament.
