Chief Okey Nwagbara is a chieftain of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) from Abia State. He has never failed to voice out his dislike for what has been happening in his party in the state of recent and by extension the nation.
In this interview with OKEY SAMPSON, he spoke about the recent visit of the Minister of Information and Orientation to Abia and the controversial high rating of the state in the development index of the country. He also spoke about the re-entry of the former governor, Orji Uzor Kalu (OUK), into PDP and many more.
Excerpts:
Recently, the Minister of Information and Orientation visited Abia and rated the State Government high in infrastructural development and good governance, what’s your reaction?
I was actually astonished to see a man as experienced, as intelligent and as exposed as Labran Maku, coming to praise what was shown to him, not what was done. One of the embarrassing aspects of that tour was the appearance of traditional rulers, waiting for the minister at every point he stopped, to welcome him. That made me to contemplate surrendering my chieftaincy certificate to the Eze that gave me the traditional title because I realised that the values of traditional institution in my Ngwaland in particular has been reduced to nothing. That will not happen in any other part of the country.
That apart, the minister’s visit was supposed to be pure dividends of democracy visit, it was not supposed to be with consent of the state government. These are some of the areas I fault my party, PDP most times. When you want to checkmate the activities of elected officers, that visit, as I said, shouldn’t have been with the consent of the state government so that they would not hijack it. He should have been taken to places like Port Harcourt Road, from Port Harcourt Road to where Uratta Road ends, Omuma, Osusu, Ohanku, Ngwa Roads and indeed numerous other roads in Aba zone and then he would be properly guided in his rating.
We are not doing good to ourselves that the Minister of Information could visit the state and instead of showing him bad roads, of which we have many, they went and showed him some little pictures that Abia State has good roads, they don’t lack bad roads. So, what I am saying is that whenever any delegation from the federal government visits the state, let them be shown the bad roads, of which we have many so that the government at the centre could assist us to remedy the situation instead of showing those painted, coated and patched roads and by this, you are not doing your people any good.
If Maku is serious with what he is doing, let him without the consent of the state government, come down to Abia State; we will show him these roads and after that he would be able to realise that there are so many roads, that Aba as a city has no roads. When we talk about building roads, it doesn’t mean when you patch a junction that got deplorable since the past one year and when you patch it, you claim to have built a road; no, that is not building road. We were here when the late Chief Sam Mbakwe, former governor of old Imo State, built roads, not when you resurface an existing road, you say you are building road, that is deceit.
Look, let me tell you why I like OUK. When he was in power, he liked constructive criticisms and he always made amends but now it’s a different game. But we can not stop criticising because we want our party, the PDP, to be the best in Abia as it is in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and other states where their governors are performing.
Government said it had started the reconstruction of roads in Aba and you are still saying there are no roads in the city, how do we reconcile this?
Your designation is wrong, let me correct it. There is a big difference between building of roads and patching of roads. Patching of roads is fixing a particular portion or portions of road, which got bad. Building of road means total reconstruction of an existing road or completely constructing a new one. So, what the Abia State Government is doing in Aba presently is patching few roads.
Anyway, we thank Gov. T.A Orji for having the mind to patch some roads in Aba but let me remind the government that there are many roads in the city that are begging for attention. Since the spirit of patching of roads has visited Abia State, let us remind them that some of these roads, including Ukwu Mango, which collapsed the same week it was commissioned, also need to be patched.
With what is happening, only God knows what will be the fate of residents of the city when the next rainy season, which is not quite far from now sets in. So, there is a difference between patching and building of roads. The Abia State Government is only patching junctions of roads that are in the public’s view. Everyday they keep on telling us about Aba/Owerri Road; if they are serious with the reconstruction of roads in Aba, let them go to Ngwa, Uratta, Omuma, Osusu and so many other roads in the city. If you are a Christian, after visiting some of these roads and seeing the hell people are living in, you will definitely not go to church again all the rest of your life, you will say you don’t think there is God but there is God and He cannot come down from heaven and do roads for us here. He will do it through somebody in government. My brother, if you go to these places I have mentioned and many more, you will shed tears for your fellow human beings and it becomes more worrisome when the government that has failed its people woefully is being rated high.
The former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, was recently re-admitted into the PDP, what’s your reaction?
You call him the former governor of Abia State but I see him as future president of this country. Orji Uzor Kalu’s re-entry into the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) is a very wonderful development; it’s going to make PDP healthier. As a democrat and one of the registered members of PDP in Abia State, I’m too impressed with his re-entry. It’s going to make PDP in the state like I said earlier, healthier and, in fact, working. The party in the state has not been working all these years but Kalu will bring in his ideas, his manner of carrying people along, his pure democratic practicality and his open-door way of doing things that made him a successful businessman, acceptable by all the presidents in the world.
His re-entry into the PDP will bring a very good advantage to my party in the state because he is going to make the party more acceptable in the state because the way the party is being run in the state, people no longer like the party. But his re-entry into the party will bring a lot of dividends to the PDP in the state.
I laughed when I read in the newspapers that some people from the state went to Abuja to block kalu’s re-entry into PDP.
Kalu is one of the founding fathers of the PDP and you do not expect some people to like his re-entry into PDP because some of them were brought into PDP by him. When he was in the PDP, some of them were in the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP), some were in the civil service; some, who went to Abuja to meet with the chairman of PDP, were retired permanent secretaries. Some had never been anywhere before; so he made them. So, for them to be against his re-entry into the party, my brother, that question is open for everybody to answer. You have to check the mentality, the blood flow, the activeness of their brain; that would give you the picture of who they are. What they did amounted to someone, going behind his Maker, asking people questions why must He be his Maker.
All these people, I repeat, were made by OUK; they never tested the rudiments of politics before in their life history, never! And from what they are doing, you will now know that OUK has a salvation in his name. Apart from one or two people in modern-day Abia politics, nobody is as active, as experienced, as adventurous as Orji Uzor Kalu. He has age and destiny on his side and he is exposed. Those people opposed to his return can’t go where he has gone; they can’t see what he has seen and they lack vision. So, if they are kicking against his re-entering the party, it’s their own cup of tea, they are not speaking for Abia people. He has come into the party, he has come to stay and there is nothing they can do about it. Let’s just watch, in the next few months, you will see the development of the party in the state.
What do you have to say about the alleged harassment of party executives in Igbere Wards A and B by the military over the PDP registration card given to OUK?
By virtue of the constitution, the military and particularly the army’s responsibility is to defend the territorial integrity of the country. They have no right to delve into the internal matters of any state. They were invited to the state during the kidnap era, but the army in Abia State are trying to delve into other areas that are not their responsibility and it is our duty to bring this ugly development to the notice of the Chief of Army Staff and Chief of defence staff. They should caution the army to stop the harassment of innocent citizens of the state.
No matter the amount of harassment, I want to use this medium to thank the chairmen of Wards A and B of the PDP in Igbere for doing what is right. They should not be deterred and God will protect them, as they have done the right thing.
I read the other day in one of the national dailies where the PDP chairman in the state stated that the PDP card given to OUK was fake and I said to myself, could people bring themselves so low because of politics? Could people, because they want to remain in office at all cost, forget yesterday? I know very well that Senator Emma Nwaka had a very short-lived tenure in the Senate and he was once a commissioner during Kalu’s administration. From this brief history, you should be able to know that he was made by OUK.
But one of the problems we have in the state is that the so-called Abia politicians forget yesterday but I, for one, cannot forget yesterday because without yesterday, there will be no tomorrow. There is nothing like fake card in the PDP because all party cards come from the national headquarters of the party. Like the one I’m having, it was signed by Baraje when he was the national publicity secretary of the party. So, as far as I know, there is nothing like fake PDP card.
Are you in support of the formation of Njiko Ndigbo and the call for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction?
I am not only supporting the formation of Njiko Ndigbo and its ideals but I’m also calling on well-meaning Igbos, both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, to come out and support the efforts and vision of OUK and fight for the presidency that is the right of Ndigbo, right now. It is not given out free; you have to fight for it.
Igbo man should be supported to be the next president of this country. Look, let me tell you something, Igbos are the most widely travelled people in the world. It is an Igbo man that will restore the pride of this country. If it will be possible to give Igbo man the presidency of this country for only 30 days, you will see miracle. You see Nigeria as a very large country, yet it is very small if you have the brain on how to manage Nigeria because the resources are there.
If Igbos refuse to support OUK now as they refused to support him when he was telling the former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, to do the right thing, they felt he was insulting Obasanjo; no, he was giving advice like a son would to his father but Obasanjo saw the advice as insult and some Igbos, who had not been successful in any of their life’s endeavours, felt OUK was insulting Obasanjo and everybody suffered for it. But now, he has started again with another vision; it is their duty to bury whatever is the acrimony they have this time around and come out to support OUK. I don’t know whether he wants to run as the president but all I know is that the masses will want him to come out and contest as the president of this country so that he can solve so many problems we have in this country in so many areas. He is the only one who can give hope to the Igbo future.
GOD bless u bcos ur rite no body can stop him from goin bk 2 his party dat he helped 2 build and we need him bk bcos we ar been regarded as d worst state in nigeria in d area of infrastructure we need orji at al cost 2 give us d next governor dat wil govern d state bcos wat is happinin in abia nw we need GOD intervention bcos deres no road any were in abia
Prince my bros: Was it not OUK that gave you the present Okija Monk, Ex convict T. Orji? Was T. Orji not his former partner in crime? Why on earth would you want him to give you another? The trials of past events give strength to present counsel. Let the Abais people choose the next Governor by the grace of Allah. Let the Okija Monks stay out of it. One Nigeria without Bakassi
@prince mez:
I really feel sorry for you. It was Kalu who made Abia the worst state. Kalu thrashed Abia state for 8 years and people like you are just too dumb to see it. Soon you would want Kalu to be a presidential candidate. When others who know better refuse to vote for him, you will say that they hate Igbos. Kalu should be banned from holding any public office.
Kalu, the Okija Shrine governor. Njakiri left ANPP his own party to join PDP. What is wrong with these people?
Ben my bros: Why do you talk like that? Dont you know that people like prince have been compromised? All they see are the little crumbon them during his loots OUK the fake doctor let fall. Then again, Prince might really be an Okija Prince. One Nigeria without Bakassi
That man’s truth is as straight as a ruler. Maku was purely deceived in Abia state, most of our traditional leaders as always since the coming in of T.A.Orji, belated and fooled themselves and the politians like that Emma simply told and usually tell shameless lies. The above scenarios represent the T.A.Orji’s way of leadership; heavy involvement of touts(Agberos) in the running of his govt inclusive. The result and I implore outsiders to come and confirm for themselves, is the bringing of all branches of Abia state to comatose. May God as we always and are still praying help Abia state.
Kalu has no option than to work for APGA.
Bros Nwagbara you are very right. Congrats for OUK he is my mentor I love his braveness
God please remove from Governor T.A. Orji the spirit of patching roads in Aba, we don’t need it. As for deceiving the minister of information that one is very real. But i know, that God must surely vindicate Aba just one day.
Dewise, you are typical. even without your afirmation, we would have guessed OUK could be your mentor. Both or you are of the same elk. I read your grammer, [sic] ” I love his braveness” and need no further evidence. If you had any honor You would not have spoken ill of your folow Okija monk, T. A. Orji. But you are also true to character like your mentor. I am sorry for Abia people. A great people that produced Power Mike Okpara to be reduced to this. Allah. One Nigeria without Bakassi
NO ONE DECEIVED THE INFORMATION MINISTER, HE ALLOWED HIMSELF TO BE DECEIVED. THERE IS THIS SAYING THAT WHATEVER, NATURE BRINGS TO A MAN, IS WHAT HE DESERVES. EVERY INFORMATION MINISTER IN OBASANJO’S REGIME AND THE FIRST IN GOODLUCKS REGIME IS AS POPULAR AS THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF, BUT THIS ONE, I DON’T EVEN KNOW HIS NAME EXCEPT TODAY THAT I READ IT IN THE NEWS. THIS IS BECAUSE HE HAS NO VISION AND HE IS NOT PRO-ACTIVE AS HIS PREDECESSOR. THEREFORE, HE AND THE GOVERNOR OF ABIA STATE ARE BIRDS OF SAME FEATHER.
DEE OKEY NWAGBARA YOU ARE A BIG FOOL
I FEEL ASHAMED THAT A SON OF SOIL LIKE OKEY NWAGBARA OF NGWALAND CAN STAND TO SUPPORT
EVIL MEN
FOR 8 YEARS ORJI KALU ENSLAVED YOU AND YOUR KINSMEN WHERE WERE YOU?
YOU ARE ONE THOSE WIND OF CHANGE IN NGWALAND WILL SOON DESTROY.
YOU DONT KNOW AN ENEMY BIG FOOL
Any Igboman speaking nonse against Orji Uzor Kalu is not a genuie Igbo person.Kalu is the only true Igbo personality that can stand to defend the Igbos at any level any time any where without fear or favour while others are cowards and betrayers. Most of you condemning him that he ddin’t fall Iroko when he was in power as the Abia State governor and many of you also forgot that he fought OBJ to standstill because of OBJ’s hatred to the Igbos that to the extend that OBJ never allowed Kalu to rest. Thoses of you speaking against Kalu should chew your words very well before vomiting it out as Kalu is the only VOCAL VOICE the Igbos have for now. Our enemies knows it very well that they can not pocket him (KALU) any how that they follow put to critises him. NDIGBO, NWAYOO…..,ONYE IND IRO GBARAGBURUGBURU NA ECHENDU YA MGBENINE, UMUBIAFRA, UNU ARAHARA URA MGBENINE.
Okey Nwagbara, i can see you ‘re blind n fooled for 8yrs. Thats why you have the gult to talk for a man that crippled your state for eight years. Greed, visionless for his people, only to enrich himself with Abia resources. His bad rewards awaits him soon.
Abia state needs deliverance in such away Anambra State was delivered by ex governor Ngige and presently Obi. No doubt Abia state is the worst state in Nigeria in terms of infrastructure and roads. The present Governor seems to be pursing personal interest to the detriment of masses interest. This Governor prefers to dish out money to some shameless Abia elites and people like maku as a cover up. How come on earth a man entrusted with the state fund will not use the money to better the life of his people as seen in PH.UYO AWKA and even OWERRI. Aba which is the hub centre of the state is totally in shambles.Its really a pity for us to be led by this heartless man.One thing is certain God is not a sleeping God, and He must visit wicked leaders at his own time one day.
Orji Uzo kalu dose not represent Ibo people or ibo land but a few of his friends and His pocket or bank account. If he is back to PDP, good for him. And as long as I am concern, that means he could not do any thing on his own since he could not finish what he started like his own party which own party which won two states some years back. He should have stay there and fight back to bring his party back. For the fact he failed in carry out his vision through his party means he is still a joker to me. You can not send a boy to do a man’s job. He is still being feed with milk not meat. Need much growing up to do. He can make much noise that is one thing he is good at. Orji Uzo kalu we know you too well. You can fool some people some times but you can not fool all the people all the time. God bless you with your dreams.
A well engineered road constructed with asphalt as a binder has a life time of over 50 years.So why are the roads in Aba in such deplorable condition if Kalu as governor for eight years constructed roads? Which project can we point to in Abia today that was constructed by Kalu?The fact is that when leaders fail to do their jobs, insecurity and social vices of all sorts become the inevitable lot of such society.Kalu ‘s ineptitude as governor took Abia state 20 years backwards and resulted into a state of lawlessness which is costing the present government so much to revert and maintain.Okeh Nwagbara is only a petty trader at Faulks road Aba who does his businesses in 8 by 8 shop.When did this artisan become a PDP chieftain? He certainly does not have the mental capacity to understand the enormous task the present gov’t in Abia is confronting arising from the ills of the OUK years.No reasonable Abian would want our dear state returned to the dark days of mamacracy where OUK’s mother became the defacto sovereign in Abia state.Ochendo should be left alone to clear the mess of the OUK years .
Pls if Orji Uzoh is a devil what do we call T.A. Orji? To be honest Orji Uzoh is a saint compare the present Government.
Nigerians never appreciate Abacha till we witness other leaders, i tell you Orji Uzoh is better to compare today’s government.
The Leopard Does Not Change It’s Spots.
Kalu ruled Abia for 8 years, set a negative standard, and ensured Theodore won election even while a prisoner of efcc, to continue the negative standard. Put all the woes of Abia on Kalu’s doorstep. He founded PPA and won Abia and Imo states. The PPA governments in these two states ended in disaster, and today PPA is extinct.
Kalu is a leopard and bad news to Abia politics whether in PPA or PDP or any party or even as an independent candidate.
The resolution of the political travails of Abia state will begin when Ngwa people who form over 60% of Abia population unite and nominate and elect a credible Ngwa person as a governor.
the shining of the star in the sky is so glaring even when oneself chooses to blind his or her eyes to avoid seeing the shining…if kettle is calling pot black then let the kettle show an irefutable difference btween the duo.orji may have had some questionable dispositon during his tenure but can T.orji take a bold stance in challenging OUK as being more effective and responsive to the yawning of the abia poeple than OUA.there is no noticiable capital project with a meaningfull impact on the life of abia poeple T. orji cannot boast of in his tenure.not even a dubia natured road construction ashas acclaimed by people during OUK tenure…OUK u are truely welcome back to PDP..whoever that opposes that does that at their own egocentric centerd intrest and their ingnorimous disposition of self minded leadership quality
OKEY SAMPSON OR WHAT EVER U CALL URSELF.. U CAN NEVER STAND ON THE TRUTH FOR ONE DAY, U ARE SAYING THIS BECOS NOTHING FOR U IN THIS TENURE, WHEN U WIA WORKING WITH OUK, U PPLE WIA BUSY EMBEZZLING STATE MONEY, NOW GOV TAO IS WORKING AND U DONT WANT TO ALLOW HIM DO HIS WORK, WORK THAT U AND OUK FAILED TO DELIVER, IF U DONT KW WAT TO TELL THE PRESS, U BETTER SHUT UR MOUTH, OUK IS A FAILED GOVERNMENT, LABARAN WAS HAPPY BEFORE HE LEFT THIS STATE… THANK GOD FOR GOV TAO FOR HIS WORK IN ABIA STATE.
Orji Kalu Under attack from kinsmen from Igbere
Former Abia State Governor Uzor Kalu got the shock of his life over the weekend as his kinsmen from Igbere practically chased him out from the village having rejected his blood money and infested 10 bags of rice. Our source said Uzor Kalu who sneaked into the village for the cult initiation of some of SUN editors in a bid to hid his mission, decided to cover up by calling the villagers to come and receive their new year gifts. Unknown to him the youths of the village who went to the bush as part of their surveillance saw him half naked during the initiation. As kalu wanted to begin the distribution of rice and paltry 50k the youths started chanting ritual ist , okija man we don’t want your blood money and blood rice. It took the intervention of his aides to save him. Sensing danger kalu ran away last nite kidnapping the youth leader a situation that has thrown the village into confusion. IF OUK IS DOING ALL THIS AND HIS VILLAGE PEOPLE IS AVOIDING HIM, U CAN NOW IMAGINR THE TYPE OF GOVERNMENT HE HAS, WHAT HE DID IN ABIA DURING HIS TENURE, LOTS OF KIDNAPPING AND ALL OTHER… PLS NEVER COMPARE TAO WITH OUK, OUK IS A FAILED POLITICIAN..
http://naijanetworknews.com/?p=1197
The zonal leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-east yesterday joined the fray over the readmission claim by the former governor of Abia State, Chief Orji Uzor Kalu, saying that he is unknown to the zone as a member of the party.
National Vice-Chairman of PDP, Col Austin Akobundu (rtd), made the clarification in statement made available to journalists in Umuahia following the controversy generated by Kalu when he asserted two weeks ago that he had rejoined PDP at his Igbere Ward A.
The South-east PDP leader said that the zone had already sent its report on the issue to the national leadership of the party reaffirming its position that not only is the former Abia governor not readmitted, the party in the zone has no plans to welcome him back.
According to the PDP zonal chairman, there is enough reason for the party to believe that the founder of PPA “is a paid agent of a presidential aspirant whose mandate is to destabilise the party in the South-east zone.”
He insisted that Kalu’s attempt to rejoin PDP has been roundly rejected by his ward, local government and state chapters of the party.
Akobundu further explained that investigations by the zonal leadership have revealed that the former PPA presidential candidate in his futile and desperate attempt to rejoin PDP was deceived by some ex officers of the party to believe that they could bring him back.
He therefore stated that the purported readmission of Kalu was in contravention of Article 8, section 8 of the constitution of the PDP (as amended) hence it was void ab initio.
I was totally disappointed by the Information Minister Labaran Maku, he did not do what he was known for . I even pity him for being so callous in speaking out the truth. He and his entourage were totally bemused,bedeviled by overnight trick of the more you look the less you see. May I invite Mr Maku to quietly sneaked into Abia unnoticed by the government and see whether he will not retract all his encomiums for the state..
tht oji must go to hell he wil not see good in his life.
How can u people be wasting ur time talking about a man who contested senate after been governor and failed even in his own ward.
The fool called t a orji sacked abia daughters who are married to non abians from the state civil service and his fellow fools are opening their mouth to talk. shameless people. where does he want them to go with their families ?
His Excellency, Dr. Orji Kalu is a political icon of our time. He’s the most decorated and influential politician from Igbo extraction. Like him or hate him…he’s the “eight hundred pounds gorilla” in PDP’s political equation room. The fact of the matter is PDP would like to cage him in with PDP membership ahead of 2015: Pull him in now, else PDP will be EXTINCT in the SouthEast.
Why is PDP looking up to Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu to clean-up after its mess in Abia State and beyond?
When did PDP start to open membership to people like Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu?
When did PDP realise that it has lost public support and wanted the greatest political strategist of all time, Dr. Kalu to come to its rescue?
PDP posturing about Orji Uzor joining PDP party is too gutsy. However, until His Excellency, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu makes a public statement to that effect, PDP is just pandering utopia remedy to its mess ahead of 2015.
We are watching closely……..!
Well,Rochas Okorocha should go for us and let OUK give him his full support.Likewise Ohanaeze Ndigbo.Moreso,APGA must be strenghtened in all the eastern states ‘cos the two APGA controlled states are exceptionally doing well.
I am glad that OUK is back.Yes,that is the man that can look at the rest of Nigerians eye ball to eye ball and say his mind.This is the man we the Igbos need at this point in time.OUK,we love u .
Abia people play politics with every thing including their lives. Among the ethnicity in the world, Ngwaland is the worst . Their Ezes are only errand and house boys. Instead of me to receive chieftaincy title from any Eze in Ngwaland, I better ask one agboro to give me one. Every thing about Abia is evil. May almighty God help Abians
Nwagbara is a Scavenger and am so disappointed in what the Old Fool said that Orji Uzor Kalu for president of BIAFRA or NIGERIA….We can not forget what Kalu and the Mother did to Abians in their 8 years of looting the state to dry…Kalu was going and put his Boy T.A Orji Kalu that later out smart him and thats the problem….Orji Kalu ought to have been thrown to LIONS in Tokyo or sent to Kenya where TIGER would had feast on him,but its there talking of ruling Biafra and not the Nigeria…Igbo should talk of People like ROCHAS and not the Pen Rubber like Kalu and the Mother, in fact,those of us Abroad will not allow that happen to that State again…All the Kalus should go…..Even BORNO STATE with all the distructions by BOKO HARAM is better than ABIA STATE in 14 years of democracy…..FUCK Kalu.
To some self centred, like Mr Nwagbara latt er day Chietain of the Fdf,Dr Kalu Uzors shaneless to the party that is already on brink of disintergratio n,it should energize Abia Politics.But to Ndi-Igbo it is marks the beging of an end era in Dr Kalus politic al equation,especially presently that the major opposition parties in Nigeria,the leftists and Rights are merging with a view to Democratically take over power the cabals in the Pdp,who constit utes the greatest enemies Nigerians have be confronted with,since the incepti on of Democratic rule in the Country.Then one is compelled to ask,Dr Orji Kalu whose has he gone back to fight for in the Pdp, what his teeming surporters who he lure into the PPA he formed,when he was disgraced out by the same Pdp he has begg ed and went back to. The saying that Nigeri an politicians are shameless and Chamel ic have been proved beyound every reason able by my former Idol,Dr Orji Uzor Kalu.