Southeast chieftain, Uche Aguoru slams Abia Governor over directive on traditional rulers
By Chinedu Chinedu
A staunch chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Uche Aguoru, has slammed Governor Alex Otti-led administration in Abia state over his recent directive to traditional rulers in the state.
The State Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, had on Monday, directed traditional rulers in Abia to undergo compulsory biometric verification before receiving their monthly allowances.
The Commissioner explained the latest action by Otti-led government formed parts of its policy thrusts aimed to fish out Ghost traditional rulers and as well, to ascertain exact number of traditional rulers in Abia state.
Earlier, Mr Aguoru, who was also the Director of New Media of the Campaign Organization of the Abia State Governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), during the just-concluded 2023 elections held in all parts of the state by the Independent National Electoral Commission, while baring his minds on Tuesday in Umuahia, described the governor’s recent action as an insult taken too far, berating Otti for choosing to reduce the reverred traditional institution to such a humiliating and ridiculous low by inadvertently tagging them as “Ghost Eze”.
The Abia party stalwart reminded Governor Otti that leadership is a responsibility as words, actions and policies of a leader should inspire those working with them as colleagues or followers positively or negatively.
According to the ex-PDP campaign spokesman, “This execrise is to further intimidate and humiliate our reverred Ezes, whom he has refused to pay since he came into power, it is not surprising to many because his administration has not shown any empathy and compassion on Abians.
“Our traditional institution should be respected and we can’t sit by and watch the custodians of our tradition and culture subjected to such humiliation and maltreatment.
“Every Abian of good conscience should question the reason for the verification. Is it that we cannot ascertain through the ministry of local government and chieftaincy affairs the number of autonomous communities or number of staff of office issued by the ministry?
Aguoru queried: “Is the reason for this verification basically because of the audio increase in their stipends as announced by the ministry?
“What value will this execrise add to the system? What is the mode of the verification exercise? Or are we going to subject our royal fathers to line up like school children as currently being done to the civil servants,”Aguoru further queried.
He insisted that the present government led by Dr Alex Chioma Otti is bereft of respect to system they met on ground.
According to him, “The last time the Governor met with Ndieze at the banquet hall Government house. It took the intervention of old staff of government house to remind the officials of the present administration that they must provide the traditional cola mut and drinks on the table for Ndieze before the meeting can commence.
“This is a testament to how inept and empty the drivers of this administration are”.
Aguoru advised the state governor to be circumspect in the handling of sensitive matters such as this total disrespect to traditional rulers in Abia state.
“Everything should not be reduced to politics and political vendetta. Let me remember the way we treat our royal fathers is the way outsiders will view and respect them”.
