Chijindu Emeruwa

A 2023 gubernatorial hopeful and Multi-International business tycoon, Chief James Okereke Anyaogu, has highlighted the rationale behind his declaration of interest to contest the number seat of Abia state.

In a statement in Umuahia on Wednesday, Chief Anyaogu hinged his bid to become governor of the Abia on myriads of challenges bedeviling the state.

According to him, the decision to join the governorship race for the liberation of Abia stems from the everyday pains Abians pass through, promising to give people of the state a purposeful and quality leadership if rally round to emerge as governor in the upcoming general election in 2023.

“My effort to give my fellow Abians quality leadership has led to a series of questions from a lot of people. I have said it before and I’m reiterating the fact that I’m not a politician but a concerned, worthy, illustrious and industrious Abian.

“A government that is so distanced from the people is never a government of the people, that’s the reality in Abia state, I want to return the government to rightfully owners; the ordinary people of Abia state.

“This is attested in the inability of the current administration to at least pay workers’ salaries and especially, our Senior Citizens (Pensioners) their pensions and gratuities”, Anyaogu regretted.

He pointed out that as a result of the Abia government’s inability to address the backlog of salaries and. entitlement owed to the state workforce, he took it upon to help, particularly the pensioners in ameliorating their sufferings and deprivations.

“This informed my decision to painstakingly select, amongst the Senior citizens, the “weakest” who have been deliberately starved of their constitutional funds.

“47 (currently in review for upward adjustment) Abia retirees (Pensioners) Senior Citizens were selected from across the seventeen Local Government Councils of our dear Abia state and payrolled since April 2020.

“Since April 2020, I have been sustaining these our elders, fathers, and mothers. Although, I don’t wish to talk about this and the assistance was never for political purposes, once more, I’m not a regular politician”.

Continuing, the governorship hopeful further lamented, “my heart is pained, sincerely, I do not understand why people will comfortably sit on the salaries, pensions, and gratuities of the people who diligently served them very well at their primes.

“This issue shall be given due and immediate attention in 2023 once you; my fellow Abians trust me with your mandate to steer the ship of Abia State for the next four years”, he also promised.

In another development, Abia State Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia state, on Tuesday, assured that he will not make a decision that will be detrimental to the socio-political and economic future of Ndi Abia in the quest for his Successor in 2023.

Governor Ikpeazu stated this when he received in the audience the Umuahia South Political Stakeholders Forum at Government House Umuahia.

He said that the process and procedure of selecting his successor are on the course, adding that he will not be stampeded into making a decision.