From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Chief Whip of the Senate and former Abia governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has told a group of clergymen in the state that the popularity of the All Progressives Congress ( APC) is enough to win tomorrow’s by-election in Aba North/South federal constituency.
He applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for completed and ongoing projects by the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) in the state
Kalu made the statement during a breakfast meeting with the clergymen in Aba, yesterday.
The former governor who embarked on a ward-to-ward campaign said there was no better time to be at the centre and enjoy infrastructural development than now.
He said he was disappointed that since he left governance in 2007, nothing tangible had been done in Aba.
“Those who knew Aba in 1998 before we came to power in 1999 will attest that we did a lot of work and brought glory to this city . But since we left , nothing has been added. There has been no improvement to what we did and the city needs more to take it to where it should be. And one of the fastest ways to do so is to be in the centre . Aba people need to cast all their votes for APC to make this work faster.”
Kalu praised the former occupant of Aba North/ South Federal Constituency, late Hon Ossy Prestige for his good performance.
“Our popularity is enough to win the election for us and we won’t be distracted by the ethnic propaganda of the PDP. We expected the PDP to tell the people of Aba what they have done for them, but unfortunately there is none. We are asking you to vote for us because we have reasons to do so . All APC lawmakers in the state have done well and have effectively used their Zonal Intervention Projects (ZIP) for their constituents.
“This party (APC) believes in infrastructure more than any other and we will replicate same in Aba. The former occupant of the seat from APGA, late Ossy Prestige of blessed memory did very well . He graded many roads, but we will add more to what he has done and asphalt many roads for you. Abia PDP lawmakers have no history and sense of infrastructural development. Someone like Abaribe has been in the Senate for 16 years and has done no single project in his village Umuekwensu, talk more of his Senatorial District.
“We are very grateful to President Buhari for the NDDC projects in Abia .Remember that President Buhari’s largest investment is also in the South East; that’s the second Niger bridge. The Ariaria Market 9.5 MW gas-based power plant for uninterrupted power supply being enjoyed today by Abians was provided by the APC government.”