Chief Executive Officer of the Abia Industrial and Innovation Park, AIIP, Engr. Chinedu Onyeizu has berated the senator representing Abia south senatorial district, Chief Enyinnaya Abaribe, over what he described as a poor representation of the zone in his over 16-year stint at the Senate.
Onyeizu, who was the candidate of the Labour Party in Abia South senatorial district in the February 25, 2023 senatorial poll and an aide of the Abia state Governor, alleged that Abia South has remained without quality representation at the senate, stressing that Abaribe has occupied several positions at the senate with nothing to show for it.
He asked the senator to come out of what he described as ‘20 years hibernation’ at the senate. Onyeizu further stated that the people of Abia south zone now need Abaribe to ‘roll his sleeves up’ and assist the Governor Alex Otti to ‘light up the district’.
However, Media Adviser to Abaribe, Mr. Uche Awom, said the LP candidate is going through post election defeat trauma, having lost both at the tribunal and court of Appeal against the senator.
Onyeizu said; “It’s been 20 years in leadership positions, the majority of which he has spent in the Senate. It is clear to everyone that Abia South Senatorial District has remained without quality representation at the red chamber. What does it take to demand the urgent repair of federal roads in our senatorial district? Leadership is about having empathy and showing passion for the people you lead. Look at the condition of Aba to Port Harcourt and Aba to Ikot-Ekpene express roads. They have been bad as long as he has been in government.
“Our scenario is disturbing, where you spend eight years as a senator from a ruling party, PDP; occupying the leadership and membership of big committees including being a minority leader and another 8 years under the leadership of the opposition party, yet nothing is being shown for it.
“Today, he is occupying the position of the chairman of the Senate Committee on Power. If we assume the last 16 years was used to learn the trade of representing a senatorial district at the red chamber, Abia southerners now need him to roll his sleeves up and assist the Governor light up the district.
“Our people desire to enjoy the dividends of democracy as we are seeing in other senatorial districts. He should collaborate with the performing Governor of Abia State to improve the living standards of Abia Southerners. If he plays his own part to complement the good works of our governor, Abians will be better for it. Enough of his failure and lack-luster attitude towards the warfare of our people. Let him come out of hibernation for goodness sake.”
In his reaction, Abaribe’s aide, Awom, explained that Onyeizu is looking for endorsement from the senator who he described as a colossus.
“The boy is an infant and not a match. He is merely on a thumb roll struggling for a match up with Abaribe. We are not going to cave in to such an infantile ploy. He was stopped on his dreamy track and that’s how far he can go and he knows it. He is cunningly looking for an endorsement from a colossus. Insulting Distinguished Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe speaks of his low character and poor upbringing.
“Yes, he contested the election as Labour Party candidate and lost. He exercised his right by challenging his defeat at the tribunal and lost and again he escalated it to the Appeal where he was even fined for wasting the Court’s time. So, resorting to insulting a man of Senator Abaribe’s stature calls to question his maturity to even represent the people as a councillor. The young man is going through a post-election defeat trauma . A juvenile delinquent that should be grateful to Mr Peter Obi. The Obi wave propelled by his candidacy gave Onyeizu the bounce and now like a butterfly, he sees himself now as a bird,”Awom said.
